Multimillion-dollar award puts Kongsberg in charge of equipping newbuild 10-vessel oil & gas fleet

Norway-headquartered marine technology player Kongsberg Maritime has been tasked to provide a wide range of equipment for a new fleet of ten platform supply vessels (PSVs), which are being built by a Chinese shipbuilder for Greece’s vessel owner Capital Offshore Management Corp.

The contract win, worth NOK 800 million or nearly $73.3 million, which was secured with China’s Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding, will see Kongsberg Maritime supply all propulsion, automation, and energy systems for ten newbuild vessels, described as Capital Offshore’s “major investment” in the PSV market.

Gerry Ventouris, General Manager at Capital Offshore, highlighted: “We are pleased to collaborate with Kongsberg Maritime, a leading provider of essential equipment for our new vessels. We aim to ensure that these vessels are of the highest quality, and partnering with Kongsberg Maritime is a critical step in achieving that goal. This cooperation reflects our commitment to excellence as we expand our operations in the offshore sector.”

As the Greek player, which owns and operates a fleet of more than 100 vessels, has a strategic goal to widen its presence in offshore oil and gas operations, these new vessels, intended for the Brazilian market, are expected to aid the firm in accomplishing this expansion objective.

Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, President of Kongsberg Maritime, commented: “Capital Offshore has exciting and ambitious plans for expanding its operations in the oil and gas market, and we are proud to be playing a key role in helping them to achieve their goals through the supply of a significant package of integrated technologies across their new fleet of platform supply vessels.

“This significant investment in a series of 10 new PSVs signals Capital Offshore’s intent to be a major player in future offshore operations. We look forward to building on our long and successful relationship with Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding in China on this exciting project.”

According to the Norwegian firm, each of the ten newbuild PSVs will feature a fully integrated electrical system, propulsion, and energy controls, ensuring that all components work seamlessly together to optimize performance and safety while achieving the most energy-efficient vessel operation.

Zheng Jinzhu, General Manager at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding, underlined: “The partnership between Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Ltd and Kongsberg Maritime has a long history. The cooperation between the two sides of this project is rooted in Kongsberg`s cutting-edge technology, know-how and proven track record with customers worldwide.”

Furthermore, Kongsberg Maritime’s electrical system, once integrated into the newbuild PSV fleet, is expected to enable optimal, clean, and efficient operation through the energy storage system (ESS), which is said to provide power for peak shaving, spinning reserve, and power boost.

As a result, this battery hybrid capability is perceived to offer operational flexibility, allowing the vessels to run on a single engine or have full flexibility for engine selection, curbing fuel consumption and emissions. Therefore, Kongsberg claims that the 95-meter PSVs of the MMC 897 CD design will showcase its full system integration capabilities.

The vessels’ propulsion system will entail two US 255 azimuth thrusters, a single ULE PM 155 retractable azimuth thruster, and two TT2200 tunnel thrusters, all powered by permanent magnet motors. The DC hybrid electrical powerplant, encompassing generators, DC switchboard, transformers, and energy storage systems, is described by Kongsberg as fully integrated with the propulsion system and the DP to optimize operability, performance, and fuel efficiency.

“By selecting our integrated solutions for propulsion, DP, automation and electro equipment, Capital Offshore will see benefits not only in increased fuel efficiency, but also lower OPEX costs,” added Haugan.

The contract award for the ten PSV ships comes more than a month after Kongsberg Maritime landed an assignment for propulsion upgrades on Höegh Autoliners’ ten pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs).