Keppel bags AHTS and liftboat construction contracts worth USD 52m

The first contract was awarded by Seaways International to build a multi-task anchor-handling tug (AHT) vessel suitable for an array of offshore activities. Designed by Robert Allan and belonging to the Rampage Series, the AHT vessel will have a designed bollard pull of 100 tonnes, and be equipped with Class 1 and 2 fire-fighting capabilities, dynamic positioning systems Class 2, oil recovery Class I capabilities and a host of other equipment.

When completed in 2Q 2016, this vessel will be the fifth AHT unit that Keppel Singmarine has built for Seaways.

Separately, Keppel Singmarine was awarded a contract by Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM), a joint venture shipyard in Qatar between Qatar's premier gas shipper Nakilat and Keppel O&M, to provide technical services for the construction of a liftboat.

The technical services include detail and production engineering, technical and commissioning support and procurement support.

The liftboat is designed by Bennett Offshore, a naval architecture and marine engineering arm of Keppel O&M, in collaboration with N-KOM.

"We are happy that Seaways has chosen to partner Keppel again in growing its AHT fleet,” said Abu Bakar Mohd Nor, managing director of Keppel Singmarine.

“At Keppel, we strive to build long term relationships with our partners so that we can know and anticipate their needs. At the same time, by taking on new projects such as the liftboat, we continuously expand our suite of technology solutions so as to better meet the demands of the specialised shipbuilding market."