Island Offshore presses ahead with drilling vessel construction

Island Offshore is moving ahead with the shipbuilding contract with Kawasaki Heavy Industries for delivery of the Island Navigator drilling vessel.

According to Island Offshore, the vessel is a combined well intervention- and tophole drilling vessel with equipment and capacity to perform a series of complicated subsea- and well operations.

“This is yet another milestone for Island Offshore. We have worked on the design of this vessel for three years; a project that benefit from our experience and competence within well intervention operations through the last nine years,” says Managing Director of Island Offshore Management AS Håvard Ulstein.

Island Navigator will be 169 metres long. According to Island Offshore, the helicopter deck is moved towards the middle of the vessel to secure optimal landing conditions in rough weather, in such a way that crew changes are performed as planned and the operation is continued.

Island Navigator will also be equipped with a built-in handling tower which secures a safe working environment during operations in harsh conditions. In addition the vessels holds the highest dynamic positioning class, ice class (ICE-1B).

“This vessel will be a significant contribution to our service range and to Island Offshore as a company. We have great confidence in this project,” says Ulstein.

Island Navigator is designed by Rolls-Royce and is of design type UT 777. It will be built according to Mobile Offshore Unit regulations and is per definition a mobile installation.

The contract was subject to firm financing, and the vessel is now fully financed through Japanese finance institutions, with expected delivery in 2018/2019, Island Offshore has said.