Blue Water Shipping has just been awarded an extremely challenging task of providing logistics for materials and equipment to China and Brazil, where the conversion of the FPSO ” Cidade de Ilhabela” will take place over the next two years. The FPSO is being converted from a tank vessel which is 400 metres long and 70 metres across.
After the conversion, the “Cidade de Ilhabela” will be the world’s largest FPSO and will be operating for the Oil & Gas sector off the Brazilian coast.
Blue Water Shipping’s client is SBM Offshore, which is the world’s leading actor within FPSO construction, production, installation and operation. The company operates a fleet of more than 20 of these special and very costly units worldwide and employs 6,000 people. Blue Water Shipping already enjoys a cooperation with SBM Offshore, and this new agreement is based on the efficient working relationship between the two companies.
“We have developed a good cooperation with SBM Offshore through our previous projects, where Blue Water’s expertise in transport and logistics to the Oil & Gas industry has been a decisive factor in successful projects” says Thomas Bek, Global Manager Oil & Gas at Blue Water Shipping.
Thomas Bek has been involved in the contract negotiation and believes that appointing Blue Water logistics provider for the “Cidade de Ilhabela” project is due to a couple of primary reasons.
“Blue Water offers high reliability of delivery and our incorporated IT systems ensure a unique service which will be of benefit to our clients. On top of this, we have a strong set-up in Brazil with local representation and profound expertise within the Oil & Gas industry” , concludes Thomas Bek.
The project comprises several thousand shipments and involves Blue Water’s offices in Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Singapore, Esbjerg, Rotterdam, Aberdeen and Houston. First part of the project takes place in China where the preliminary, basic changes of the tank vessel will be carried out. Subsequently the vessel will sail to SBM’s shipyard in Brazil where the final part of the conversion will take place.
The entire conversion project is expected to be completed in 2014, after which the total price for the “Cidade de Ilhabela” will be approx. EUR 3.5 billion. Blue Water Shipping has profound experience with and know-how on Oil & Gas projects worldwide. In Brazil, Blue Water is presently involved in projects for SBM Offshore, McDermott, Keppel Fels and Odfjell Drilling among others.
[mappress] Source: Blue Water Shipping, April 16, 2012