Saipem to take over China-built latest generation heavy lift pipelay vessel in June

Chinese state-owned port and naval machinery manufacturer ZPMC has held the completion ceremony for the latest generation vessel for offshore heavy lifting, construction and pipelaying, set to be delivered to Saipem.

The completion ceremony of the JSD6000 was held at ZPMC’s base in Changxing and the vessel will be delivered to Saipem in June.

The contract signed with Saipem provides for the bareboat charter of the 216-meter-long ship for a five-year duration, plus two extension options of one year each.

Designed by Ulstein, JSD6000 is equipped with a DP3 dynamic positioning system and a heavy-lift capacity of up to 5,200 tonnes, and can lay pipelines up to 36″ diameter in J-Lay mode and pipelines up to 60″ in S-Lay mode, at water depths up to 3,000 meters.

Saipem noted that the charter is in line with its capital-light strategy defined in the Strategic Plan and allows the company to expand its offer with an additional vessel which meets the highest standards of safety and environmental protection.

In January 2014, Sharjah-based Petrofac ordered the Petrofac JSD 6000 deepwater derrick lay vessel which was contracted to the ZPMC shipyard. Petrofac terminated the construction contract with the yard in October 2015.

In April 2018, Petrofac signed an agreement to sell the vessel project to ZPMC.

The JSD 6000 was launched at the ZPMC Qidong shipyard in December 2020. In May 2023, it completed its sea trial and began the process of testing the mission and pipe lay equipment, returning to the ZPMC Changxing Base in December.