Launch and naming ceremony of two further vessels for Brazilian market
The Sapura Jade was recently launched
Earlier that day, the naming ceremony of its sister vessel Sapura Ônix took place at the same location.
The Sapura Jade is the fourth in a series of five 550-tonne fully integrated pipe-laying vessels that will be completely designed, engineered and built by IHC for Sapura Navegação Marítima, a joint venture between SapuraKencana and Seadrill.
The 145.9m-long and 29.9m-wide Sapura Jade is equipped with a pipe-laying spread designed by IHC, and two below-deck storage carousels with capacities for 2,500 tonnes and 1,500 tonnes of product, respectively. A vertical (tiltable) lay system – with a 550-tonne top tension capacity – will be permanently installed for the deployment of a range of flexible products. The vessel’s tower orientation allows for maximum deck space. A custom-designed IHC control system integrates each aspect of the pipe-laying spread to ensure excellent levels of performance, safety and reliability, the Dutch shipbuilder said. The vessel offers accommodation for 120 people.
After delivery, the Sapura Jade is, like its sister vessels – the Sapura Diamante, Sapura Topázio and Sapura Ônix – destined to travel to Brazilian waters to develop deep-sea oilfields of up to 2,500m on behalf of Petrobras. The fifth vessel will be launched at the end of this year.
In 2012, IHC had signed a contract with Sapura Navegação Marítima for two 550-tonne pipe-laying vessels. In August 2013, the shipbuilder then signed another contract for a further three vessels of this kind. Additionally, the shipyard has another order from Sapura for a smaller pipe-lay vessel with a capacity of 300 tonnes, and one from Subsea 7 for four 550-tonne pipe-laying vessels, of which the first, the Seven Wave was delivered in 2014.
The remaining three, the Seven Rio, the Seven Sun and the Seven Cruzeiro are expected to be delivered to Subsea 7 in 2015 and 2016. All four vessels will also be deployed by Petrobras.
