Smaller anchor handlers depart from West Africa as PSVs change hands

As Johannes Sjöstrand explains, in 2017, a clear pattern emerged in the West African market with a reduction in the number of small to mid-sized anchor-handling tug/supply (AHTS) vessels

In particular, the 5,150–6,000 bhp dynamic positioning (DP) class 1 AHTS segment saw reduced numbers through departures and sales.

RK8 Offshore offloaded a number of such units. The 5,150 bhp units Greta K and Bertie K were early sales in the year, being purchased by Caspian Mainport and renamed CM Greta and CM Brit, respectively.

In the 6,000 bhp DP1 AHTS segment, the units Mari K, Hilde K and Tricia K were sold en bloc to Caspian Shipping in the early autumn.

Scheduled to drydock in Walvis Bay prior their Caspian Sea mobilisation voyage, Mari K is still in Walvis Bay and has been renamed Nefteqaz III. Tricia K is in Baku, Azerbaijan, and Hilde K is in in Tuzla, Turkey.

Another well known West African AHTS vessel that left the market was Swire Pacific Offshore’s Pacific Supplier. The 1999-built shallow draught vessel received a second life and new industry exposure when Norwegian company Tananger Offshore picked it up to serve a term contract in the Norwegian aquaculture sector.

MMA Offshore’s market presence was trimmed significantly with the departure of its last two AHTS units – a third, the AHTS MMA Cavalier, 8,000 bhp, had already departed the region in late 2016 for a job in the Middle East.

2017 saw both Mermaid Vanquish and Jaya Dauphin sold off. Having been stationed for some time in South Africa in the Port Elizabeth and Durban corridor undertaking salvage jobs and Subtech lead projects, the 64-tonne bollard pull AHTS vessel Mermaid Vanquish left the region when sold to Zouros Group in Greece. The somewhat larger Jaya Dauphin was bought by Egyptian Ocean Marine and renamed Ocean Tiba and trades these days in the Egyptian Red Sea.

With the departure of MMA’s AHTS fleet from the region, the owner’s presence in West Africa is anchored in MMA Privilege’s term contract with CNR International, supporting MODEC’s project on Baobab in Côte d’Ivoire. The DP2 work and accommodation vessel is set to have its stay in the region extended, having already clocked up two years there in April 2018. 

The winding up of the joint venture between Norway’s Havila and Singaporean POSH saw the sale of two AHTS units – POSH Venture and POSH Vibrant. Prior to the downturn, the two vessels were regulars in Congo and Angola but ultimately ended up long term in the layup hub of Walvis Bay.

The 2009-built 126-tonne bollard pull POSH Venture was sold to Vietnam, whereas the 2008-built, 103-tonne bollard pull POSH Vibrant was sold, renamed and retained in West Africa. The latter, now Pioneer Silver, has been integrated into Navig8’s offshore pool and will join the RK8 Offshore fleet in the West African market in earnest in mid-January. Another Navig8 and RK8 Offshore addition is the former 94-tonne AHTS Varada Ipanema, a 2011 ABG Shipyard build, which now trades under the name Kilimanjaro.

For many years, the 2011 Astilleros Armon-built Rigel, a fire-fighting class 2 and 110-tonne bollard pull anchor-handling tug, worked for Sonangol on an offshore terminal contract under the management of Italian Fratelli Neri. Having ended its five plus year contract and later transiting back to the Mediterranean, the end of 2017 saw the vessel changing hands, having been acquired by Muller Dordrecht in the Netherlands and its name changed to En Avant 30.

Proving that there is rarely an established pattern or rule without an exception, 2017 finished off with the sale of four stalwart West Africa platform supply vessels (PSVs).

Seacor closed the deal on four Hellespont PSVs – the 2009/10-built UT 755 LN Hellespont Daring, Hellespont Dawn, Hellespont Defiance and Hellespont Drive. With the exception of Hellespont Drive, all of the PSVs are currently under contract in Nigeria and Congo.

At the time of writing, the management of the units remains within Hellespont’s Hamburg office with commercial supervision from Seacor’s Dubai office.

*Johannes Sjöstrand is a broker at West Africa-focused Mercers Offshore