Eastern Awarded Contract to Complete MPSV Builds for Hornbeck

Panama City Fla. based Eastern Shipbuilding Group announced it has been awarded a contract to complete construction of two ultra high-spec 400 class multipurpose support vessels (MPSVs) for Hornbeck Offshore Services (HOS).

The newbuilds were originally started by Gulf Island Shipyards in Houma, La. before Hornbeck terminated the contracts in 2018 over what it described as "performance issues". Gulf Island then sued Hornbeck, claiming the two shipyard construction contracts were wrongfully terminated. 

Gulf Island and Hornbeck settled in October 2023, clearing way for the builds to be completed by another yard.

Eastern, which noted it has previously rescued several faltering shipbuilding programs, said on Wednesday that it secured the contract to complete the builds from Zurich American Insurance Company, the issuer of the performance bonds for the original MPSV contracts. 

Joey D’Isernia, chairman and CEO of Eastern Shipbuilding Group, said, "We are delighted to be entrusted with the completion of these highly capable vessels for our esteemed partners at Hornbeck. Our experienced shipbuilding team is poised to timely deliver these critical MPSVs to the market."

The vessels will be drydocked in Louisiana prior to being towed to Eastern's facilities in Allanton and Port St. Joe, Fla., Jessica Ditto Eastern's VP of communications told MarineLink, adding that the ESG expects to receive the first vessel during the first quarter of 2024.

"The vessel structure is mostly complete with the vast majority of the mechanical, electrical and other outfitting work not completed." Ditto said.

Scheduled for delivery in 2025, the Jones Act-qualified MPSVs HOS Warhorse and HOS Wild Horse will each be equipped with two large heave-compensated cranes, two remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV), a spacious moonpool and accommodations for 102 personnel.

An uptick in offshore oil and gas activity as well as the emergence of the U.S. offshore wind sector have been driving greater demand for offshore support vessels, including MPSVs.

While it completes the MPSV builds, Eastern will also continue work to convert HOS Rocinante, a dual-service floatel and service operation vessel (SOV) for planned delivery to Hornbeck Offshore Services in the spring of 2025.