Farstad Shipping Orders a Pair of Rolls-Royce OSVs from STX Shipbuilding

STX OSV announced today that it had secured new contracts for the construction of two Multifunctional Deep Water Anchor Handling / Offshore Service vessels for Farstad Shipping. The total value of the contracts amounts to approximately USD $210 million.

These vessels will be Rolls-Royce UT 731 CD designs which are equipped to handle anchors for oil rigs, tow rigs to location and also serve as supply vessels. They can operate in extreme climatic conditions and ultra deep waters, undertaking precise rig maneuvering operations in water up to 3,000 meters deep. They are also equipped for subsea construction and installation duties.

Each vessel will feature a fully integrated equipment system from Rolls-Royce including deck machinery and vessel control systems. They will also include diesel electric hybrid propulsion systems to reduce the total fuel burn and cut CO2 emissions.

Anders Almestad, Rolls-Royce, President – Offshore said:

“Rolls-Royce has a close working relationship with both Farstad Shipping and STX OSV. These customers’ repeated choice of our market leading technology highlights the value Rolls-Roycedelivers and the Group’s ability to design and equip robust, highly advanced offshore vessels that deliver optimal results for their owners and operators.”

Both vessels will be built at the STX OSV Langsten yard in Norway and are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2014. Farstad Shipping’s fleet currently consists of 54 vessels (30 AHTS, 21 PSV and 3 SUBSEA) and 6 PSV and 4 AHTS under construction. The company’s operations are run from Ã…lesund, Aberdeen, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore, MacaÃ© and Rio de Janeiro by a total of approximately 2000 employees onshore and offshore. Farstad Shipping is listed on Oslo Stock Exchange.