Eidesvik Offshore, a Norwegian offshore vessel owner, has today completed the sale of the construction support vessel Viking Neptun to DEME.
Gitte Gard Talmo, President & CEO of Eidesvik, said: "The sale of Viking Neptun substantially improves our balance sheet. Going
forward Eidesvik will leverage the financial flexibility that the sale of Viking Neptun has created.”
"Eidesvik will recognize a gain on the sale of approximately MNOK 270 [ currently around $27.3 million ]. After debt repayment, the liquidity position is improved by around MNOK 340 [currently around $34.4 million] from the sale," the company said.
As previously reported, Eidesvik agreed to sell the vessel back in January. It then in August signed a two-year ship management agreement with DEME for Viking Neptun, taking effect upon the completion of the sale.
“We are very proud of the performance of Viking Neptun and its crew and look forward to continue the management of the vessel under DEME’s ownership”, said Talmo.
Eidesvik said in August that the Viking Neptun had a turntable capable of handling 4,500 tonnes of cables below deck, and that DEME plans to increase the vessel's capacity by adding a second, 7,000-tonne cable turntable on deck.
The 145 meters 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.