Shipbuilders bid for SCI?s AHTS vessels

Around six firms including Bharati Shipyard, Hindustan Shipyard and other international firms have queued up for Shipping Corporation of India?s (SCI) plan to acquire four anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS) with 80 tonne bollard pull capacity.

The international firms include Colombo Shipyard, and one shipyard each from China, Korea and Bangkok. The vessels, to be used in unrestricted water, would be utilised for anchor handling, towing, transporting pipes, fresh water, diesel oil, bulk cement, stores materials, equipment, external fire fighting, emergency response and rescue, standby duty and anti-pollution control and move men and materials between platforms. The vessel would also be used to supply supports to the offshore oil and gas field on a 24-hour per day duty.

If the value of the tender remains below $120 million, then SCI can place the order without requiring a cabinet approval. SCI expects to place the order at below $100 million, it is learnt.

SCI had recently cancelled a tender to procure six AHTSs with 60 tonne pull capacity after the company felt it would be more appropriate to procure higher capacity vessels based on demand. SCI has also stipulated that the vessel shall meet UK Offshore Operators Association (UKOOA) requirements with compliance certificates from classification society for class ?C? vessel. The shipyards are required to submit any one of the six specified designs including Robert Allan (Canada), Connan Wu (Singapore), Havyard (Norway), Vik- Sandvik (Norway) and Moss (Norway).