Our Arctic Neighbors: Dockwise to transport Shtokman rigs from Korea

Bermuda-based Dockwise has been contracted by Russia’s Vyborg Shipyard to transport two drilling rigs for the offshore Shtokman project from South Korea to the Barents Sea, the company announced in a release Oct. 14. Dockwise will install the units on semi-submersible hulls, using the float-over technique. The company will receive $84 million over the three-year contract.

The first rig is scheduled to be loaded in late April 2010 for installation between July and August 2010, and the second in late October 2010 for installation around February 2011. The structures will be transported from Geoje Island, Korea, to the assembly locations in the Murmansk harbor area. Each rig is estimated to weigh around 22,000 tons.

“The Vyborg-Shtokman contract is a milestone in Dockwise’s history,” said the company’s CEO, Andre Goedee. “It demonstrates our primacy in handling extreme challenges: scale, distance, and climactic conditions are the significant features of this assignment. Furthermore, our installation role shows how Dockwise is developing its presence in the upstream production cycle. We are excited by the prospect of the Russian Arctic market and are actively exploring ways to build upon today’s announcement to develop long-term relationships with Russian clients.”

Dockwise is a marine contractor with a workforce of more than 1,200 people both offshore and onshore. The group has offices around the world and three engineering centers in the United States, Holland and China. The company manufactures specific motion reduction equipment such as leg mating units and deck mating units, and owns a fleet of 22 purpose-built semi-submersible vessels.

—Sarah Hurst