‘Record-breaking’, long-term charter backs Rem Offshore newbuild

Norway’s Rem Offshore, in collaboration with subsea services provider DeepOcean, has secured a ’record-breaking’ eight-year, Nkr1.0Bn (US$90.5M) inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) contract with Norwegian energy major Equinor.

“The charter agreement with DeepOcean is the largest in Rem’s history, increasing our order backlog to nearly Nkr6.0Bn (US$542.7M),” said Rem Offshore chief executive Lars Conradi Andersen.

This eight-year charter agreement, which includes additional extension options, involves the construction of an ST 245 IMR vessel at Myklebust Shipyard in Norway. Designed by Skipsteknisk and called Rem Ocean, the newbuild IMR vessel will be powered by a combination of biomethanol, biodiesel and batteries, reducing emissions by up to 90% compared with traditional marine fuel, according to the Norwegian OSV owner. The IMR vessel will have an overall length of 112 m, beam of 23 m, a clear deck of 1,000 m², a 350-m² indoor hangar, and accommodation for 120. To perform maintenance and inspections on subsea installations, the IMR vessel will be equipped with a 250-tonne heavy-duty, electric-powered crane, modular handling systems, and six electric underwater robots. It will be capable of operating in wave heights up to 6 m and is classified for year-round use in ice-covered waters, enabling operations at Equinor’s northern facilities.

Myklebust Shipyard will deliver Rem Ocean in 2027.

Remote operation and drone technology

DeepOcean Europe managing director Olaf A Hansen said the vessel “will be optimised for remote operations, facilitating the reduced need for marine and project crews offshore. DeepOcean also reported Rem Ocean will be equipped with an autonomous inspection drone, accelerating the digitalisation of subsea asset inspection.

DeepOcean will deploy the vessel for subsea operations such as inspection, maintenance and repair on Equinor installations. DeepOcean chief operating officer Ottar Kringen Mæland described the ship as "the next-generation subsea vessel.”

He said the collaboration with Rem Offshore was “pivotal for implementing the latest subsea technology, making it an efficient future-oriented solution.”

Earlier in 2024, Rem Offshore ordered another large subsea vessel from Myklebust Shipyard for delivery in 2026.