NextGeo taps Norwegian shipyard for survey vessel conversion

Italy-headquartered marine geosciences and offshore construction support services provider Next Geosolutions (NextGeo) has entered into an agreement with the Norwegian shipyard Green Yard Kleven for the conversion of a vessel from its fleet.

As part of the deal, the NG Explorer multi-purpose survey vessel (MPSV) will be converted to perform high-spec seabed surveys worldwide. The converted vessel is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2025.

Originally built in 2010 as an offshore vessel, the unit is 58 metres long and 14 metres wide, and has a draft of 4.5 meters, making it suitable for shallow water environments.

After being used in aquaculture in recent times, it will now go back to operating in the offshore energy arena. More specifically, it will be used for geophysical, geotechnical, environmental, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) seabed investigations.

“We are convinced that Green Yard’s quality and delivery precision are critical to the success of this project, which is why we chose them as a partner,” pointed out NextGeo’s President, Attilio Ievoli.

According to NextGeo, all equipment and materials removed from the vessel will either be reused in this conversion, repurposed for other projects at the yard, or sold. The goal is to keep waste generation to an absolute minimum and practice circular economy.

Since Green Yard Kleven was previously involved in converting this vessel for another owner, it expressed its satisfaction to be able to extend the vessel’s lifespan and offer high-quality used equipment to the market.

“We at Green Yard are proud to once again work with an international shipping company that has chosen our yard because of our focus on sustainability. It shows that our business model works,” noted Green Yard’s CEO, Kleven Hans Jørgen Fedog.

The ship will get a new accommodation module to increase onboard personnel capacity, as well as meeting rooms, a control room, and offices. Additionally, it will be fitted with a launch and recovery system (LARS) for remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The entire ship will be upgraded for operation in high-temperature waters.

Green Yard Kleven will deliver a complete turn-key project to the Italian player, encompassing design and engineering, with its internal technical department supported by Nelton Design. The yard’s scope will also entail the delivery of new and second-hand equipment, as well as coordinating the re-classing process.

When the vessel’s €6.75 million acquisition was announced in December, the retrofitting work was estimated to cost between €3 million and €5 million.