Heerema plans mega crane vessel

Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) will be placing an order for the construction of a new crane vessel at an estimated cost of $1 billion.

The strategy of HMC focuses on full field development in the international oil & gas industry, including possible future development in the Arctic. “Heerema Marine Contractors is known for its strong and successful position as offshore construction contractor. A new generation, deepwater construction vessel is needed to meet the demands of the national and international oil companies. Market developments and needs from customers, as well as our current market position are strong drivers behind the decision to proceed with the design of a new vessel,” explains John Reed, the Chief Executive Officer.

The design of the vessel will begin immediately and will be fast tracked. A tender to select the best shipbuilding yard, which will likely be in Korea or China, will take place in the near future. The new vessel will be exceptional in various aspects: speed, hull shape, pipe-laying features in deepwater and shallow water, crane possibilities and capabilities to work in the Arctic.

The size of the vessel will be approximately 220m x 88m. The lift capacity of the cranes has yet to be determined but will at least be comparable to the dual crane capacity of ?Thialf?, the largest crane vessel in the world and part of HMC?s fleet, which is 14,200 tonnes. The new crane vessel will be complementary to the existing fleet and offer more possibilities to customers. The newbuilding will be financed from internally generated funds, augmented by traditional bank financing and private equity.