Italian oilfield engineering and construction firm Saipem has acquired the derrick lay barge Norce Endeavour for an undisclosed price from Norway’s Solstad Offshore
Saipem chose to add the vessel to its fleet after it exercised a purchase option in a bareboat charter contract it struck in December.
Under the bareboat contract, Saipem Portugal Comercio Maritimo Limitada, a subsidiary of Saipem SpA, had chartered Norce Endeavour from 2 January to 31 May 2021, with an option for an additional five months.
Following its exercise of the option to purchase the vessel, Saipem will take delivery of Norce Endeavour in April.
Built in 2010 by Singpore’s Keppel Shipyard to support pipelaying activities, the Panamanian-flag vessel has an overall length of 146 m and beam of 46 m, with a main crane with a lifting capacity of 1,100 tonnes.
Norce Endeavour joins Saipem’s fleet of heavy-lift and pipelaying assets for offshore engineering and construction projects. Chief among its fleet of 26 vessels is Saipem 7000, one of the largest semi-submersible heavy-lift and pipelay vessels in the world. Equipped with a J-lay tower, upgraded dynamic positioning capability and fast ballasting system, Saipem 7000 semi-submersible crane vessel has the capacity to handle the entire work scope of offshore construction developments worldwide, encompassing pipelaying in water depths greater than 2,000 m and heavy-lift operations up to 14,000 tonnes.
Built with dynamic positioning class 3 capability, the vessel has 12 thrusters to maintain accurate station keeping in the most difficult of weather conditions. Additionally, because Saipem 7000 has accommodation facilities up to 725 people, the vessel can assist hook-up and commissioning and initial platform life support activities.
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