Norwegian offshore vessel owner Eidesvik Offshore will manage the construction support vessel Viking Neptun it recently agreed to sell to DEME.
The company has now signed a two-year ship management agreement with DEME under which Eidesvik will provide full technical management, crewing and operation of the vessel.
Viking Neptun was built for Eidesvik in 2015.
In January 2022, Eidesvik entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (“MoA”) with DEME to sell the vessel. The MoA is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2022, after the completion of the current contract with the offshore installation firm Havfram.
The ship management agreement will start when Viking Neptun is delivered to DEME.
The Viking Neptun currently has a turntable capable of handling 4,500 tonnes of cables below deck. DEME plans to increase the vessel's capacity by adding a second, 7,000-tonne cable turntable on deck.
The 145 m long vessel is equipped with a large, unobstructed deck and a 400-tonne Active Heave Compensated Knuckle Boom crane, which, DEME said earlier this year, makes ‘Viking Neptun’ ideal for the construction of floating wind farms.
Gitte Gard Talmo, President & CEO of Eidesvik Offshore, said: “We are very pleased with the confidence DEME is showing us and are confident that our skilled crews offshore and onshore will continue to deliver high-quality services and operations”.
Koen Vanderbeke, Strategic Operations Director at DEME, commented: "Eidesvik has a strong track record for safe and reliable shipping operations. DEME’s strategy is to deploy the most versatile, sustainable and high-tech fleet in the industry, and we have great confidence in Eidesvik’s ability to ensure optimal operation of this advanced vessel. The deployment of Viking Neptun ensures that we are ready to serve our client’s needs now and in the future, and that we take a proactive role in further facilitating the energy transition."