Korea-flagged geotechnical survey vessel in new guise hits the water (Gallery)

Adira Renewables, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore’s offshore services provider Kim Heng and Soiltech Engineering Co Ltd Korea (STE), has launched a geotechnical survey vessel, rebuilt/converted in 2024, into the water.

Kim Heng announced today, April 15, the completion of the christening ceremony for Bridgewater Discovery, a DP2 geotechnical survey vessel measuring 76 meters in length with a 20-meter beam.

The vessel is equipped with a heave-compensated twin tower drilling rig capable of drilling up to 300 meters below the seabed, advanced soil testing equipment, including WISON-APB-Classic CPT, Seismic CPT, and Geomil Manta 200 seabed CPT systems, as well as a 60-ton knuckle boom crane with man-riding capability, Kim Heng said.

According to the company, the Korea-flagged vessel offers accommodation for up to 59 personnel and includes a 55m2 soil laboratory.

In February 2024, Adira Renewables signed a vessel framework agreement (VFA) with an “international major client” as part of which Kim Heng and STE are to provide offshore geotechnical investigation services to carry out various geotechnical survey projects for offshore wind farm development in Korea.

Through the collaboration, Kim Heng also executes geotechnical survey works in the pre-construction phase of larger, more complex offshore wind farm projects, tapping on STE’s know-how in soil investigation works.