Charters for offshore vessels are already on the rise this early in 2021, indicating the much anticipated growth of a resilient sector that is steadily overcoming the scourge of a deadly pandemic as well as the other crises that had negatively affected the global maritime industry during the previous year. Interestingly, many of the charters that were recently awarded are for accommodation vessels and drilling vessels, a fact which can be attributed to the growing number of offshore projects in the North Sea, Africa, and the Middle East.
Floatel scores hat trick in Norway
Floatel International has been awarded three contracts on the Norwegian continental shelf. The contracts include one with three months' firm plus options for Vår Energi starting in June 2021, one four- to six-month contract for Breidablikk starting in April 2022, and a five- to eight-month contract with Equinor for Johan Sverdrup Phase II also starting in April 2022.
Floatel said the vessels for all three contracts are yet to be nominated.
Prosafe secures work in Trinidad and Tobago
Prosafe's accommodation vessel Safe Concordia has been selected to provide accommodation and construction support in Trinidad and Tobago. The vessel will begin work for an undisclosed customer in the second quarter of 2021.
Edda Accommodation wins 45-day charter
Østensjø Rederi subsidiary Edda Accommodation has secured a contract with an undisclosed client for a minimum of 45 days with options for another 45 days. The charter will commence within the month using the accommodation vessel Edda Fides.
Gulf Marine Services awarded new well intervention vessel charter, two extensions for accommodation platform pair
UAE-based Gulf Marine Services (GMS) has been awarded two contract extensions, totalling a further 13 months, for two jackup accommodation vessels. The extensions were awarded by an unnamed oil and gas engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractor also based in the UAE.
GMS has also secured a long-term contract for the jackup well intervention rig GMS Evolution. The vessel will be chartered by an undisclosed Middle East national oil company from January 2021 through to the fourth quarter of 2022.
Maersk Drilling to support Spirit Energy in UK North Sea
Maersk Drilling has been awarded a contract from Spirit Energy for the harsh-environment jackup rig Maersk Resolve to drill one development well at Grove North East in the UK North Sea. The contract is expected to commence in March 2021, with an estimated duration of 131 days.
The firm contract value is approximately US$11.3 million, including additional services, mobilisation and demobilisation. There is also an option to add plugging and abandonment of one well.
Odfjell rig to continue drilling at Dugong well offshore Norway
Neptune Energy Norge has extended the contract for Odfjell Drilling's rig Deepsea Yantai with an additional two wells, securing that the rig is fully occupied through 2021.
The extension is made so that the rig can conduct further work in the Dugong area 158 kilometres west of Florø, Norway, where Neptune Energy successfully drilled a well with the same rig during the summer of 2020.
Neptune has, in addition, the option to exercise a further eight wells under the current contract.
Borr Drilling rig trio nets global charters
Borr Drilling welcomes January 2021 with approximately 480 vessel days added to its existing total backlog. First, the previously announced letter of intent (LOI) for the jackup rig Norve, which is currently warm stacked, has been converted into a contact for two wells plus one option with BW Energy which is expected to commence operations in Gabon during April 2021.
In Asia, Idun has been awarded a contract to commence operations for an unnamed customer in the first quarter of 2021. The contract's estimated duration, excluding options, is for a period up to 12 months.
Prospector 1 has received a contract amendment from existing North Sea customer One Dyas. The contract is for three optional wells, of which one has already been exercised.
In addition, Prospector 1 has received an LOI for four wells plus options for operations in the North Sea. This has an estimated period of seven months.
The recent awards will bring the total number of Borr's committed and contracted rigs up to 13.
Eni subsidiary grants extension on BW Offshore FPSO charter in Nigeria
BW Offshore has been awarded an extension for the Abo FPSO by Eni subsidiary Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE).
The contract is now firm until the end of the fourth quarter of 2021, though NAE still has options to extend up until the end of the second quarter of 2023.
Rem PSV tapped for Saint-Breuc offshore wind farm
Rem Offshore has confirmed that the platform supply vessel (PSV) Rem Trader has been awarded a contract by Van Oord for 2021 and 2022. The vessel will be deployed at the site of the Saint-Brieuc wind farm in the English Channel off the French coast.
NOS to provide additional crewboats for Ørsted's UK operations
Sweden-based Northern Offshore Services (NOS) is increasing its presence on the British west coast by providing Ørsted with seven crewboats over the next three years. The first vessels will start in the beginning of 2021 and will be accompanied by more vessels gradually until the summer.
The crewboats will operate on Walney, Walney Extension, West of Duddon Sands, Barrow, Burbo Bank and Burbo Bank Extension offshore wind farms and will use Ørsted's Barrow and Liverpool operations sites as base ports.