Offshore conversion

The UK?s Fleet Support Ltd (FSL) has won its first offshore conversion project. The 30,000dwt crude carrier Blue Star is being converted into a floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO) for deployment offshore Brazil for Santa Fe Snyder Corporation.

Marine work includes underwater hull cleaning and painting, preparing the vessel for reclassification by ABS, and renewal of around 100t of steel plate. Offshore related work includes the installation of oil production and processing equipment with associated pipework, fitting import and transom balconies to handle the receiving and transfer of oil, and installation of a new deck crane.

The fast-track project is due for completion in February, and represents the biggest commercial shiprepair contract to be carried out by FSL since taking over facilities at Portsmouth Naval Base in February 1998. There is also the prospect of a similar follow-on contract.A core team is being sent over from Bremerhaven for the start up, and labour will be drawn from the local area, where a substantial training programme is planned. Marketing will be handled through Lloyd Werft?s existing agency network.