DOF anchor handler trio scores Petrobras deals

Norwegian vessel provider DOF has won several contracts for its fleet in Brazil from the country’s oil major Petrobras.

DOF said on Tuesday that its Skandi Urca and Skandi Fluminense anchor handling tug and supply (AHTS) vessels would be supporting Petrobras’ exploration and production activities on the Brazilian continental shelf.

The vessels are owned and operated by Norskan and DOF Subsea Brasil will be responsible for ROV operations on the vessels. Both companies are 100 per cent owned subsidiaries of DOF.

The company added that the two anchor handlers were awarded two-year contracts with two-year extension options. According to DOF, the start of the contracts are set for September 2020.

The company also said that its Skandi Paraty AHTS was awarded a one-year contract that started at the beginning of June.

All three vessels are Brazilian-built AHTS vessels and equipped with Work Class ROV’s for operations down to 3,000 metres of water depth.

According to VesselsValue data, the Skandi Urca has been under contract with Petrobras since 2014 while the Skandi Fluminense started working for the Brazilian company in 2018.

The one-year deal for the Skandi Fluminense was extended back in September 2019 and it is set to be completed on 31 August 2020.

Petrobras was also the previous charterer of the Skandi Paraty. It hired DOF’s anchor handler in 2016 on a four-year deal which ended in May 2020.

These are not the first vessels to be hired by Petrobras on Tuesday. Namely, the oil firm also hired Solstad’s Far Sagaris and Far Statesman anchor handlers on three-year contracts.

Another similarity with DOF’s vessels is the fact that the Solstad tandem would also be carrying Work Class ROV’s with work capabilities of up to 3,000 metres water depth.