Keppel Hitachi Zosen Limited News

Keppel Corporation Limited (KCL) will restructure Keppel Hitachi Zosen Limited (KHZ) under Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS), the rig building and repair arm of Keppel FELS Energy and Infrastructure (KFEI), to create a global leader in servicing the international marine and offshore market. KCL will transfer its entire 61% interest in KHZ to Keppel FELS immediately upon completion of the privatization of Keppel FELS Energy & Infrastructure Ltd (KFEI) in early to mid November this year. Shareholders of KFEI have given their approval for the delisting of the company on October 5. KCL Executive Director Choo Chiau Beng, said, ?The restructuring…

Keppel Hitachi Zosen Limited (KHZ) has agreed to purchase the shiprepair/shipbuilding and related businesses of Keppel Marine Industries Limited (KMI) for $167 million in cash. Total net assets include $69 million, resulting in a gain of $4 million for KMI. KHZ will acquire all of KMI's investments in Keppel Singmarine Dockyard Pte, Eagle Engineering Company (100 percent), Keppel Philippines Marine (11.6 percent) and Penguin Boat International (16.5 percent). Resulting from this acquisition, KHZ group will offer a full range of shiprepair, conversion and shipbuilding facilities.

Keppel Hitachi Zosen Limited (KHZ) is in discussions with Smedvig Asia regarding the latter's intention to exercise its option to purchase KHZ's interest in the semi-submersible tender rig, West Alliance, presently under construction in Keppel Shipyard. The purchase price is approximately $61.5 million. Smedvig has proposed to exercise the option after delivery of the tender rig and after commencement of operations under its drilling contract with Esso Malaysia, which was secured recently and is for a period of one year plus one optional year. Smedvig has announced that start-up of drilling operations is scheduled for early November this year. The construction of West Alliance is proceeding according to schedule.

Keppel Hitachi Zosen Limited (KHZ) will deliver its first cable laying and repair vessel to TyCom by end August 2001. The vessel was named TyCom Reliance by Lady Sponsor, Ms Claire Calandra, Executive Vice-President and COO of TyCom at the naming ceremony at Hitachi Zosen Singapore yard yesterday. When commissioned, TyCom Reliance will be the most efficient cable laying and repair ship in TyCom's fleet. KHZ was awarded the first contract to build two cable laying and repair vessels for TyCom in April 2000. Subsequently, TyCom exercised its option to build an additional four sister vessels in November 2000. The second vessel is currently being built in Keppel Shipyard and delivery is expected in the fourth quarter of this year.