Bourbon undertakes massive fleet expansion

The French offshore shipping company Bourbon is expanding its fleet with next generation, innovative and high productivity vessels to assist its oil industry clients worldwide in developing their continental and deepwater offshore fields.

The newbuilding project comprises of three series of modern offshore service vessels totalling 46 units at a cost of EUR560 million ($730 million) from the Sinopacific shipyards in China (44 vessels) and West Atlantic Shipyard in Nigeria (2 vessels).

Two of the series are based on the GPA design identical to the 36 vessels ordered

by Bourbon in April 2006, i.e. 28 AHTS GPA 254 supply and anchor-handling tugs with 80 tons bollard pull and 14 PSV GPA 654 platform supply vessels of 1,600 dwt.

All the 78 new vessels are principally intended for the replacement market operating in the continental offshore in which more than 400 vessels now in service will be over 30 years old by 2010. The characteristics of the new vessels will also make them ideal additional supply vessels for deepwater offshore operations. They will all be equipped with diesel-electric propulsion, classes DP2 and FiFi1. Designed to optimize the carrying capacity of various products, they can each transport 640 m3 of liquid mud.

The third series will consist of 4 PSV, Ulstein PX105 MACS supply vessels of 4,400 dwt, 88.8 m long, featuring the X-Bow and the PG-MACSTM system. This new series is the culmination of the optimization of the design of the P105 and PX105 models, 4 of which are under construction for Bourbon, while 4 others have already proven their operational value in the fleet since 2005. Equipped with diesel electric propulsion, classes DP2 and FiFi1, and a double hull, this series is “clean design” certified and meets the highest standards of protection of the environment and comfort.

The series includes two major innovations: the positioning of engine exhaust on the water line, which does away with the funnel thus allowing a 360degrees panoramic view from the bridge, and above all the MACS (Multi Application Cargo Solution) system which increases storage capacity in the hold and enables different types of cargo to be stored. These vessels therefore satisfy the precise needs of the international deepwater and North Sea offshore industry while offering extremely

profitable technological solutions to customers.

With these additional 46 vessels, Bourbon?s Offshore Division has a total of 110 supply vessels on order. Deliveries will be made up to September 2011, when the company will have the most up-to-date fleet on the market. Currently, the Offshore Division has a fleet of 190 modern, powerful and multi-purpose vessels.