First domestic offshore order for Chinese shipbuilding group

The order is for three AHTS ships and two PSVs, all are to Sinopacific’s own designs, SPA85L and SPP35ML respectively. They will be built at Sonopacific’s Zheijang shipyard, with deliveries scheduled for February to December 2016.

Sinopacific says that the order is its first for offshore vessels from a Chinese owner; previous deliveries have all been ordered by overseas owners. As well as being the first domestic order, the group says that it represents its first cooperation with China Classification Society (CCS).

Both ship types are customised versions of existing Sinopacific designs, from associated company Shanghai Design Associates, incorporating experience gained from previous deliveries. Energy saving technologies, including AFE propulsion systems, are among the technical characteristics.

The SPA85L is based on the SPA80 AHTS design, optimised for the South China Sea, and is 70.81m length oa, 2,800dwt, with 85t bollard pull, 13 knot service speed and accommodation for 48 personnel. It features a larger deck area, for enhanced supply capabilities, and increased moulded depth and freeboard to suit the South China Sea conditions. The SPP35ML is an upgraded version of the SPP35 PSV design, several of which have been delivered to date. It is 81.75m long, 17.2m wide, 7.8 moulded depth with 4,000dwt capacity. Maximum speed is 14 knots, while the ship can accommodate 41 personnel and has a deck area of 809m² and the vessel offers a maximum service speed of 14kn and accommodation for 41 persons. It is designed to meet the IBC and SPS Codes, with an emphasis on safety.

After delivery, the new vessels will be used for deepwater oil exploration in the South China Sea. At the signing of the contract, Mr Simon Liang, Sinopacific chairman and CEO, said: “As a company driven by technology, we are pleased to witness the success of the strategy that product research and development is driven by market demand. In the future, we will carry on our research and development of forward-looking products and provide more value-added vessels to the industry.”