Bourbon Liberty 110 delivered

The French offshore operator Bourbon took delivery yesterday of the 10th vessel in the Bourbon Liberty series. ‘Bourbon Liberty 110’ is a platform supply vessel (PSV) intended for operations in the Gulf of Guinea.

Bourbon’s decision to invest massively in a new generation of vessels able to operate in deepwater offshore, to rapidly replace old and obsolete vessels operating in continental offshore, is a key aspect of its Horizon 2012 strategy. With this aim, the company created the Bourbon Liberty concept and ordered 76 vessels comprising 22 PSVs, the Bourbon Liberty 100 and 54 platform anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS), the Bourbon Liberty 200.

These vessels are mass constructed in competitively priced shipyards in China. The first PSV was delivered in March 2008. Ten vessels have been delivered to date, giving total satisfaction to clients for their operations. In line with the initial schedule, the Bourbon Liberty deliveries will continue at regular intervals through to September 2011.

By 2012, Bourbon will have a total of over 450 innovative and high-performance vessels, with an average age of less than 5 years, and confirm its leadership on the offshore oil and gas marine services market.

Designed by Guido Perla and Associates and tailored to Bourbon’s specifications, the Bourbon Liberty 100 Series is a modern diesel-electric platform supply vessel equipped with state-of-the art technology. The diesel-electric propulsion system not only improves fuel efficiency but is also environment friendly; offering clients considerable savings in cost, as generator output varies as required by operational load. Two azimuth stern thrusters, 1 fixed stern thruster and 2 bow thrusters give the vessel a DP 2 capability permitting vessels to carry out operations safely.

The main generators have been moved to the main deck level as opposed to below deck as is the case with a traditional PSV. As compared to a traditional PSV, this unique propulsion layout allows 30% more below deck cargo capacity, and an additional liquid mud capacity of over 4,000 barrels compared to a same size ship.