Siem orders two more AHTSs

Siem Offshore Inc. in Norway has signed contracts for two large and environmentally friendly anchor handling vessels (AHTS) with Norwegian shipbuilding group Kleven Maritime. Kleven Verft in Ulsteinvik, Norway, in cooperation with its sister yard Myklebust Verft in Gursken, Norway, will deliver the vessels in October and December 2010.

The 4,250 DWT newbuildings are sophisticated anchor handling vessels with supply capacity and are based on the Vik-Sandvik VS 491 CD design. The total contract value is NOK 1.2 billion ($228 million).The vessels are 91.0 m of length over all and a beam of 22.0 m. Installed power is 20.640 kW, capacity on the winch is 500t and bollard pull is calculated at 300 tons. The combination of environmentally friendly design and large capacities make the vessels especially suitable for operations in the North Sea. The accommodation gives space for 60 people. Furthermore, the vessels are prepared for a number of optional features including high capacity offshore crane, A-frame and deck crane for safe anchor handling.

Siem Offshore already has 10 identical vessels under construction with Kleven Verft and Myklebust Verft. In total, the two yards in Kleven Maritime have an order book of 31 vessels at a value of NOK 12.4 billion ($2.36 billion).