Stena Drilling Extends Inspection Contract With Sparrows Group

Stena Drilling has extended its inspection services contract with Sparrows Group by three-and-a-half years.

The contract, which has been broadened to cover Stena’s global fleet of drilling vessels, including Stena Don in Norway, involves carrying out LOLER lifting gear surveys, potential dropped objects surveys, cargo carrying unit and non-destructive testing inspections as well as rig specific maintenance.

The extension pushes the agreement to year-end 2020 and marks a service partnership of over 10 years for the two companies.

Bourbon, Kongsberg To Build First Autonomous Offshore Vessel Prototype

Marine offshore services company Bourbon has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Automated Ships Ltd. to build of the world’s first autonomous, fully-automated prototype vessel for offshore operations in collaboration with the project’s primary technology partner, Kongsberg.

Bourbon brings its expertise in building and operating a standardized fleet to the development and design of the Hrönn project. In the second phase of the project, ASL and Bourbon will join to search the subsidies to finance the effective construction of the prototype.

Hrönn is a light-duty, offshore utility ship servicing the offshore energy, hydrographic and scientific and offshore fish-farming industries. It can also be used as a ROV and AUV support ship and standby vessel, with the ability to work with manned vessels to provide firefighting support to an offshore platform. Since the project was launched in November 2016, ASL has focused on developing a monohulled vessel of steel construction, to provide more payload capacity and greater flexibility in the diverse range of operations.

Kongsberg will contribute its technology expertise and deliver all major marine equipment for the design, construction and operation of Hrönn, including all systems for dynamic positioning and navigation, satellite and position reference, marine automation and communication. Its vessel control systems including K-Pos dynamic positioning, K-Chief automation, and K-Bridge ECDIS and Radar will be replicated at an Onshore Control Centre, allowing full remote operations of Hrönn.

Three Companies Merge To Create SolstadFarstad

Solstad Offshore, Farstad Shipping and Deep Sea Supply have merged to become SolstadFarstad, providing offshore service vessels, the newly formed company said in a news release.

“We are operating in a tough market. As a merged company, we are better equipped to meet the challenges and the possibilities that will arise,” SolstadFarstad CEO Lars Peder Solstad said in the release. “With the merger, we may benefit from synergies through operation of a larger fleet, our collective competence and experience, and hence ensure profitable operations in the future.”

The Skudeneshavn, Norway-headquartered company, which also has activity in the renewable energy sector, has a fleet of about 150 vessels. Currently, two well vessels and a harvest vessel are under construction.

Solstad added the company has begun a management and systems implementation phase as it streamlines operations in line with the company’s new operational model, which will be set in September.

—Staff Reports