Norway’s Kongsberg Maritime has won deals to deliver equipment packages for a total of 10 new deepwater pipelay vessels being built for Petrobras.

The contractor is to provide dynamic positioning systems for all 10 units, along with reference systems, propulsion control and automation equipment. Worth a total of US $18.48 million (NOK 110 million) the contracts involve three vessels being built by Subsea 7, which will be identical to the recently launched Seven Waves vessel. IHC Merewede in the Netherlands is supplying six of the pipelay vessels, each of which will be equipped with 550 tonne tensioning systems, and which will be delivered variously next year and in 2016.

Three more vessels to be built by IHC are to be operated by Seabras Sapura, a joint venture between SapuraKenCana and Norway’s Seadrill, for which Kongsberg Maritime will deliver DP and thruster controls.

Another four pipelay support ships (PLSVs) to be operated by a joint venture between Technip and DOF will also be fitted with Kongsberg Maritime equipment packages. Two of these vessels are being built by Vard Promar in Brazil and will have 300-ton tensioning systems, while two others are being built by Vard Tulcea in Romania. Those will be outfitted at Vard Soviknes in Norway, and will have 650-ton tensioners for ultra-deepwater large diameter flexible pipelay work. These ships are due to be delivered in 2016 and 2017.

Kongsberg is already a major supplier for the new Petrofac JSD6000 deepwater derrick lay vessel.

Offshore