Damen Shipyards Group has been helping ship owners to minimise idle vessel costs during the oil exploration slowdown by repurposing vessels to other sectors including aquaculture, container transport and defence.
One example of designs that have already been developed is a live fish carrier, with PSVs said to offer an ideal platform for the vessel type. Damen has created a range of other conversion designs, both permanent and temporary, that can be employed for vessels regardless of where they were built originally.
Remko Hottentot, sales manager at Damen, said: “Our design teams have come up with workable ideas across several industries. For example, we can convert a laid up PSV into a profitable container feeder or, for naval operations, a logistic support vessel. It will also be possible to transform a PSV into an accommodation and O&M vessel. The possibilities are numerous.
“We can offer significant design and conversion expertise to owners and operators looking for effective solutions. In combination with reliable financing support, this makes up a unique combination of activities that can be translated into realistic conversion packages.”
Increasing numbers of PSVs are laying idle as a result of factors including historically low oil prices, halted exploration project, reduced production and a substantial drop in support vessel day rates.
