Sembcorp Marine has signed an engineering and construction contract worth about US$1 billion to build the world's largest semi-submersible crane vessel for a unit of Netherlands-based Heerema Offshore Services B.V.
Scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2018, the DP3 semi-submersible crane vessel (NSCV) is designed for the installation and decommissioning of major offshore facilities.
The contract follows a letter-of-intent to build the vessel signed between Sembmarine's wholly owned subsidiary Jurong Shipyard Pte Ltd and Heerema Offshore Services in March this year.
It will be equipped with two Huisman heavy-lifting offshore cranes of 10,000 MT lifting capacity each and a large reinforced work deck area.
With the vessel length of 220 metres, width of 102 metres and displacement of 273,700 MT, the NSCV will be the largest dual-fuel semi-submersible crane vessel in the world.
The NSCV will be built at the Sembcorp Marine Tuas Boulevard Yard, a state-of-the-art yard facility designed to maximize operational synergy and production efficiency.
Phase 1 of Tuas Boulevard yard spans 181.1 acres (73.3 hectares) and is equipped with four very large crude carrier (VLCC) drydocks with a total dock capacity of 1.55 million deadweight tons.
Phase II spans 85.2 feet (34.5 hectares) and will include a steel fabrication facility and another three dry docks, including an offshore dock measuring 630.1 feet (255 meters) by 271.8 feet (110 meters) where the NSCV will be built.
Jan Pieter Klaver, CEO of Heerema Marine Contractors, said: “We strongly believe in the successful cooperation between Sembcorp Marine and Heerema to build the world’s largest semisubmersible crane vessel."
He added: "The new vessel's two Tub Mounted Cranes and dual fuel engines will enable Heerema Marine Contractors to offer unparalleled installation and decommissioning services. This will meet our long-term strategy of delivering the best possible services to the global offshore oil and gas industry."