Maersk Supply Service puts nine newbuilds on back burner

Maersk Supply Service has entered into agreements with two yards to postpone delivery of five anchor handling newbuilds and four subsea support vessel newbuilds. 

Maersk Supply Service informed on Wednesday it has agreed to postpone delivery of five anchor handling vessels under construction at Kleven Yard in Norway and four subsea support vessel under construction at Cosco, Dalian in China.

Both MSS and the yards consider this the best possible solution given the current market situation, the company said.

The first Starfish anchor handling Vessel, Maersk Master, was delivered in March this year, while vessel number two will be delivered in late June. According to the new schedule, the next three Starfish anchor handling vessels from Kleven will be delivered in 2018, and the latest in the beginning of 2019. The vessels are of a Salt 200 AHTS design by Salt Ship Design.

The entire Starfish fleet will be identical with 95 meters in length, 25 meters in width, an ROV garage for one ROV Launch and Recovery System (LARS) with a built-in ROV control room as well as accommodation for 52 persons.

MSS further said that the four Stingray subsea support vessels at Dalian COSCO, none of which have been delivered to date, will all be slightly postponed with contract delivery dates planned from summer 2017 to spring 2018.

“It is our priority to optimize the utilization options for our new-buildings, and we are confident that the new delivery schedule will benefit the competitive edge of Maersk Supply Service,” says MSS CEO Steen S. Karstensen.