Subsea inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) group Harkand has ordered a new build dive support vessel and agreed an option for a second.
The order has been placed with Norway's Vard Holdings Limited (VARD), with delivery of the first vessel scheduled for Q2 2016.
The deal, which marks an investment of US$200m per vessel, including additional plant and equipment, follows Harkand's recent fleet addition, the new-build Harkand Harmony,in its Asia Pacific operations, and the long-term charter of the Siem Spearfish for its US operations.
Harkand CEO John Reed said: “Diving services are at the core of our IRM services. Following the very successful deployment of the Harkand Atlantis in the North Sea and Harkand Da Vinci in Africa, after their delivery in 2011, we aim at further expanding our capacity in the high-end DSV market, especially the North Sea.
The new vessels will be similar to Atlantis and Da Vinci, with a number of improvements.
The vessels are of VARD 3 03 design, specially designed and equipped for diving and subsea operation duties with a high focus on good sea-keeping abilities, excellent station keeping performances and low fuel consumption. Each will be fitted with a 250-ton offshore crane, an ROV hangar and a twin bell 18 man saturation diving system capable of supporting split level diving operations to a maximum diving depth of 300m.
Scheduled for delivery from Vard Søviknes in Norway, each 121m-long vessel also features two launch and recovery systems, a deck decompression system for surface diving to 50m and accommodation for up to 120 personnel.
The contract brings Harkand’s investment in its global operations since its formation in February 2013 to more than $300m, boosting its vessel fleet to eight and its ROV fleet to 33.
Harkand was formed in 2013, through the merger of Iremis, Integrated Subsea Services (ISS), Andrews Survey and Veolia Marine Services, following investment by Oaktree Capital Management.
Today, the group has sales in excess of $400 million and aims to grow to $1 billion by 2017.
The company currently employs close to 1000 people at bases in Aberdeen and a newly opened London office in the UK; Paris in France; Dubai in the Middle East; Houston in the US and Singapore and Perth in Asia Pacific.