Norway-based ship builder Vard is to design and build a new offshore subsea construction vessel for fellow-Norwegian firm Farstad Shipping.
The 98m-long, 21.5m-beam vessel will be of VARD 3 17 design has been developed especially for subsea and inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR).
It is arranged for two ROVs (remote operating vehicles) and features a 150-ton active heave compensated offshore crane. The vessel was designed by Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway, in close cooperation with Farstad and Technip.
Farstad has been awarded a five year framework agreement by Technip Norge for delivery of ROV support operations, light construction work, IMR and other subsea related activities, which will be fulfilled with this newbuild vessel. Delivery is scheduled from Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam, in 4Q 2016.
Farstad Shipping's fleet currently consists of 62 vessels (32 AHTS, 26 PSV and four Subsea) and three Subsea vessels (including the above) under construction. The company's operations are managed from Ålesund, Aberdeen, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore, Macaé and Rio de Janeiro with a total of 2250 employees engaged onshore and offshore. The company's strategy is to be a leading quality provider of large, modern offshore service vessels to the oil industry. The company maintains a long-term charter profile for the fleet.
Vard is owned by Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri.