Edison Chouest Offshore to Build First X-Bow in U.S.

An illustration of the SX165 OCV design for ECO. Image (c) Ulstein Group

Norwegian shipbuilding group Ulstein announced Monday two significant orders for a newly-designed offshore construction vessel, including the first-ever Ulstein design to be constructed in the United States.

In a press release Monday, Ulstein said that it has landed an order for two new offshore construction vessels for Island Offshore and Edison Chouest Offshore through the company Island Ventures II, one of which is to be built at ECO’s LaShip yard and the other at Ulstein Verft in Norway.

Both vessels will be of the ULSTEIN SX165 OCV design, featuring the company’s patented X-Bow hull design.

“We are very pleased to develop the next generation of offshore vessels together with Edison Chouest Offshore and Island Offshore. They are companies with solid and extensive experience. We have worked very well together on other innovative projects, and look forward to delivering a high-quality product that will serve the ship owners well for years to come,” says CEO Gunvor Ulstein, Ulstein Group.

First ULSTEIN design in USA

The vessel to be built at ECO’s Houma, Louisiana yard marks the first Ulstein design ever to be constructed in the United States and the contract includes options for additional vessels.

Commenting on the shipbuilding contract, Edison Chouest Offshore CEO, Gary Chouest, said: “We look forward to adding these vessels to our fleet. The cooperation between our companies is excellent and we look forward to working with ULSTEIN on the construction of these multifunctional vessels.”

The statement from Ulstein did not specify a delivery date.

Construction at Ulstein Verft

The construction of the second vessel is also significant because it will be the largest vessel ever constructed at the Ulstein Verft shipyard in Norway, plus it is the yard’s largest single shipbuilding contract to date.

“This is a demanding and challenging construction project, which suits us in every respect. We have a solid organization that will carry out all the engineering work. Our group can offer world-class yard facilities and designs which attract attention from both crews and ship owners. We are ready, and looking forward to the assignment,” says Kristian Sætre, managing director, Ulstein Verft.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery Q3 2015.

About the SX165 Design

The new SX165 design measures 28 meters wide and 145.7 meters long and can accommodate 200 people. The vessels will be equipped with two cranes with lifting capacities of 400 tons and 140 tons, respectively, and a large moon pool measuring 11.2 by 12 meters. Plus there are two smaller moon pools with ROVs installed in a centrally located hangar. The vessel has a total of three separate engine rooms to provide for operational reliability even if one engine fails.

Health, safety and the environment have also been fully considered in this design. For example, the vessel will be delivered in accordance with the international regulation MLC2006 that sets out the comfort and safety requirements for the crew. The ship has four lifeboats, two on each side. In addition, the vessel is equipped with SCR catalyst system for NOx emission reduction.

Island Offshore and Edison Chouest first announced the Island Ventures II joint venture back in December 2012 with the intentions to build one multifunctional offshore vessel based on Ulstein’s SX121 design.

Ulsteinvik, Norway-based Island Offshore’s current fleet includes close to 30 offshore service vessels, including four vessels of ULSTEIN design. In addition, a construction vessel for Island Ventures II LLC is currently under construction at Ulstein Verft for delivery in June 2014.