Lockheed Martin Launches First of Two Slice Crew Vessels

Lockheed Martin launched Lider, the first of two SLICE Crew Transport Vessels (SCTV) the company is building for Hoteleria y Servicios Petroleros, S. A. de C.V. of Mexico on Saturday. HSP in conjunction with Consultoria y Servicios Petroleros, S.A. de C.V. (COSEPE) will operate the two vessels, under contract with Mexico's national oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), to transport workers and limited cargo from Ciudad del Carmen to the Gulf of Mexico's Campeche Basin Oil Field, approximately 90 miles offshore. Constructed at the FBMA shipyard in the Philippines, Lider and its sister ship, Tenaz, which will be launched this spring, feature Lockheed Martin's innovative SLICE design. The company first used this i design for a vessel it developed, built and tested for the United States Office of Naval Research. Based on Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) design, the SCTV hull form will improve the operational efficiency and lower the costs for PEMEX by enabling Lider and Tenaz to operate faster in more challenging sea conditions and still provide a safer, more comfortable ride. Following the dock and sea trials over the next several months, Lider and Tenaz will be transported together to Mexico for final delivery to HSP this summer. The development of the detailed engineering and construction work for Lider and Tenaz took place in Baltimore, MD; Sunnyvale, CA; Cebu, Philippines; and Southampton, UK.