IHC Merwede secures orders worth over €1 billion for six pipelaying vessels

9 August 2013

IHC Merwede's Offshore division has been successful in securing orders worth over €1 billion for the design, engineering and construction of a total of six pipelaying vessels. The agreements for these six ships have been signed with Subsea 7 and Seabras Sapura, the partnership between SapuraKencana and Seadrill.

IHC Merwede will supply three fully integrated pipelaying vessels to Seabras Sapura. These will include the complete pipelaying spreads, which comprise of a twin-tensioner tilting lay tower, two below-deck baskets and support equipment for the loading, spooling and routing of products. The integrated automation system, full electrical installation and electrical machinery package will also be designed and delivered by IHC Merwede. In addition, to assist Seabras Sapura in the training of their offshore personnel, a pipelaying simulator will be provided. When combined with the number of existing orders, the confirmation of this latest agreement means that IHC Merwede is now working on a total of six pipelaying vessels for Seabras Sapura.

The orders secured with Subsea 7, IHC Merwede's long-standing customer, are for three ships of identical design to the recently launched SEVEN WAVES. With an overall length of 146 metres, a beam of 30 metres and a Class-2 dynamic positioning system, these vessels will be equipped for transporting and installing flexible flowlines and umbilicals in water depths of up to 3,000 metres. Like the existing order for the SEVEN WAVES, Subsea 7 is delivering the pipelaying spreads for the three new vessels. The confirmation of this agreement brings the total number of vessels ordered by Subsea 7 from IHC Merwede to eight.

All six 550-tonne vessels will be built at IHC Merwede's extensive, state-of-the-art shipbuilding facilities in The Netherlands. They will be delivered in the period between the first half of 2015 and the second half of 2016.

"IHC Merwede is delighted to confirm this major order worth over €1 billion for six more pipelaying vessels that are destined to join four other ships – currently being worked on by IHC Merwede from a previous order last year – in Brazilian waters for Petrobras," says IHC Merwede's new COO Bram Roelse. "We invest in long-term partnerships with our customers to achieve the best possible solutions. This announcement also highlights the success of a key part of IHC Merwede's ongoing strategy to offer completely integrated vessels to its customers."

IHC Merwede press release