Ulstein Verft has won the contract with GIEK and Sparebank 1 SR-bank to complete the construction of a large anchor handling vessel for Solstad. The newbuilding comes from the bankrupt Karmsund Maritime Service AS and is an important component in filling up Ulstein Verft?s production capacity.
"Solstad was an important customer for Ulstein for years, and this allows us to resume the close collaboration we had previously. We?ve worked together on several prestigious projects earlier, including the building of the Normand Installer and the Normand Seven, the latter voted Ship of the Year in 2007. We look forward to the further development of our relationship with Solstad," says Ulstein Verft managing director Karsten S?vik.
Based on the Wartsila Ship Design VS 490 AHTS, the 4,500 DWT Normand Ranger will measure 91 metres long by 22 metres wide, and will accommodate 58 people. Work on the hull ended with Karmsund?s bankruptcy, but the vessel will be towed to Ulstein Verft in mid-August. "Completing such a project is demanding, but with our expertise and capacity, Ulstein Verft is well positioned to carry it out," says S?vik.
"Our arrangement with Eidesvik to delay build numbers 285 and 286 gave us an opening to take on more work in the period that build number 290 will now fill. The ship is scheduled for delivery in spring 2010. This job is important, particularly for our engineering department, which otherwise would have had less work after autumn 2009. The project will also be important for the yard?s other areas," says S?vik.
