Keppel wins two-tug order

Keppel Nantong Shipyard in China has received an order to build two 45-ton bollard pull twin-screw Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tugs from Keppel Smit Towage Pte Ltd (KST).

These vessels will be built to Keppel O&M?s proprietary design, developed by its technology unit, Marine Technology Development.

Delivery of the two new vessels is expected in 2Q 2010. Including these vessels, Keppel Nantong is currently building a total of 11 tugs for KST.

This latest order joins several other Keppel shipyard contracts. The group clinched two contracts from repeat customers for an FSRU conversion, and the refurbishment and life extension of a Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) vessel.

Following the successful delivery of the world?s first two FSRUs, Golar Spirit and Golar Winter, Keppel Shipyard was awarded a third contract by GOLAR LNG to convert Golar Freeze from a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Carrier into an FSRU.

The scope of work includes installing a re-gasification plant and power generators, and upgrading the control, electrical and marine systems.

Chartered by Dubai Supply Authority, the FSRU will be permanently moored alongside a purpose-built jetty within the existing Jebel Ali port in Dubai.

When completed in 2Q 2010, Golar Freeze will be capable of storing 125,000 cubic meters of LNG. The vessel will also have a maximum gas send-out capacity of 480 million standard cubic feet of re-gasified LNG per day for further delivery into the Dubai gas network.

On the second contract, Keppel Shipyard is undertaking the refurbishment and life extension of Four Vanguard, an FPSO which it converted in 2003 for Four Vanguard Servi?os E Navega?ao Lda, a company of Premuda group.

To be completed in 4Q 2009, the FPSO will be moored in the Woollybutt field on the North West shelf of Western Australia.

In Singapore, Keppel FELS secured a contract from Seadrill Ltd for the special survey, repair and upgrading of a jackup rig, West Janus.

The rig is expected to be delivered by end-August 2009. The scope of work includes steel renewal, leg repairs, modification of the shaleshaker house and the replacement of the top drive system.

At Brownsville, Texas, Keppel AmFELS was awarded jobs by longtime customer, Diamond Offshore, for the repair, refurbishment and upgrading of two rigs.

Ocean Ambassador, a Bethlehem 2000 Class semisubmersible drilling rig, arrived at Keppel AmFELS for stability upgrade and repairs. The second unit, Ocean Summit, a Levingston Class 111-C jackup, underwent repairs and refurbishment at the yard.

Both rigs were redelivered to Diamond Offshore on time. Ocean Ambassador is enroute to her deployment offshore Brazil with OGX, while Ocean Summit has begun operations for PEMEX in Mexico.