Provider of choice, partner for solutions
Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O & M) is the global leader in offshore rig design, construction and repair, ship repair and conversion, and specialised shipbuilding. Headquartered in Singapore, Keppel O & M integrates and harnesses the experience and expertise of more than 20 yards worldwide to optimize the deployment of resources and effectively execute its Near Market, Near Customer strategy.
Besides its network of yards it has several operational and engineering R & D centres, representative offices as well as marine[ds_preview] service centres around the world. In Germany, Keppel O & M is represented by CET Werft- und Handelsvertretungen Grünewald GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg (see HANSA 03/2010, page 46).
The Marine Division is represented by Keppel Shipyard, the trusted industry name for the repair, conversion and upgrading of a diverse range of vessels. Keppel Shipyard is a leader in the conversion of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO), Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) and Floating Storage and Re-Gasification Units (FSRU).
Having successfully completed the most projects since 1981, the shipyard has the capabilities and expertise to undertake the whole spectrum of dry docking, repair, upgrading, conversion and specialized construction for a diverse range of offshore and marine vessels including chemical / oil tankers, container / cargo vessels, passenger ships, gas carriers, navy ships, and dredgers. It also has an extensive and proven track record in LNG carrier repairs and conversions.
With strong commitment to health, safety and environment and an established reputation of reliability, flexibility and quality for complex projects with quick turnaround, the Division continues to deliver high value to its customers. The effective strategies, good governance and excellent business mix of repair and conversion activities supporting each other have enabled the shipyard the verstatility to meet its customer’s needs and deliver to their satisfaction.
Deliveries
Despite the global recession Keppel Shipyard repaired 361 vessels and delivered four FPSOs, one FSO, one drilling FPSO and one FSRU conversion / upgrading in 2009. Of the repair jobs, 58 were container ships.
In 2010, Keppel Shipyard to date has delivered another three FPSOs, a major turret fabrication job and completed 91 vessel repairs, twenty of which are container ship repairs with four in progress. »BW Pioneer«, which left the yard in early 2010, is the first FPSO in the Gulf of Mexico. »FPSO Capixaba« was delivered on February 10, 2010, nine days ahead of schedule. The vessel was modified and upgraded for operation in the Cachalote field in offshore Brazil. »FPSO P-57«, which was delivered in the same month underwent hull and marine conversion in Singapore and will have its remaining work of topsides installation and integration completed at Keppel Offshore & Marine’s BrasFELS yard in Brazil. On February 23, 2010, the shipyard successfully loaded out the final two components of the Skarv internal turret, consisting of the manifold deck and gantry structure. The lower turret and upper turret structures were delivered and loaded out in end-2009. They will be integrated into the FPSO currently being built in Korea. The internal turret, the largest in the world in terms of its rated mooring loads, is being supplied by SBM to their client for its Skarv FPSO unit, which will operate offshore Norway once it is completed.
Contracts
Keppel Shipyard secured several contracts in the first quarter of 2010. The first one is for the conversion of an FPSO vessel for Single Buoy Moorings Inc (SBM), the second for the conversion of a livestock carrier from a vehicle carrier for an affiliated company of Hijazi & Ghosheh Co, and the third contract is for the conversion of an FPSO for Bumi Armada Berhad.
Keppel Shipyard’s latest project from SBM is for the conversion of the VLCC »Bauhinia« into an FPSO facility. The facility is being developed for the Block I oil field, Aseng, located offshore of Equatorial Guinea. Work on the FPSO is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2010 and completed in the third quarter of 2011. The scope includes refurbishment and life extension works, accommodation block extensions, the fabrication and installation of a flare tower, an internal turret and topside module supports, as well as the installation and integration of topside modules.
Keppel Shipyard’s workscope for Bumi Armada’s FPSO conversion includes refurbishment and life extension works; fabrication and installation of accommodation blocks, turret support structure and topside modules; upgrading of auxiliary support systems; and installation of owner supplied equipment. Scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2011, the facility will be able to produce up to 45,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), and store 1,000,000 barrels of oil.
Keppel Shipyard’s work scope to convert a vehicle carrier, »Merlion Ace«, into a livestock carrier for Merlion Ace Compania Naviera S.A, an affiliate of Hijazi & Ghosheh Co, includes the design engineering and procurement of major equipment as well as the modification of ship structural, piping and electrical systems.
Luxury facelift
Keppel Shipyard’s expertise in ship repair and upgrading is world renowned, even in the luxury line. »Legend of the Seas«, together with two other luxury cruise ships, »Ocean Princess« and »Asia Star« were given a new lease of life by Keppel Shipyard and were delivered right on time to welcome the Lunar New Year on February 19.
Arriving on January 18, 2010, the »Legend of the Seas« which measures about six Olympic-size pools, underwent steel renewal of her forward anchor pockets, and bottom plate of bilge tanks, overhaul of bow thrusters, hull just two years later. The ship repair manager was glad to contribute to enhancing her lifespan. It’s a lifetime opportunity to sail on the »Legend« as a passenger and then take charge of her dry-docking. Another cruise ship returning for service is the »Ocean Princess«. The 181 m long vessel arrived at Keppel Shipyard in November 2009 for service and maintenance works which included a single length anchor cable renewal of the port and starboard anchor chain, shipside blasting and painting as well as load tests of the embarkation and pontoon platforms. She sailed from Keppel Shipyard to resume her tour of the French Polynesian islands, Society Islands, Cook Islands, Marquesas Islands, Hawaii and Alaska. Meanwhile, »Asia Star«, a 129.5 m long vessel based in Hong Kong and operated by Asia Cruises, has also left the yard after repairs. Works on the »Asia Star« included renewal of hull anodes, bilge and sewage treatment plant pipes, repair of the air-duct ducting, overhauling of sea valves, overboard valves and engine room fans as well as high pressure washing and painting of the hull, hydroblasting as well as painting and renewal of the stern thruster. Coincidentally, Keppel Shipyard’s project manager, Tin Cheong Hoe was a patron of this luxury liner when it first sailed into Singapore. The luxury liner was then plying exotic routes in Alaska, the South Pacific as well as the Mexican Riviera and boasts a 9-hole golf facility, an outdoor rock climbing wall, four whirlpools and a solarium with a sliding roof. Cheong Hoe hardly expected that he would be managing her refurbishment at Keppel.
Keppel bags first major newbuild contract for German offshore wind farm
Leveraging the synergies of its offshore expertise, technology, and familiarity with harsh environment operations, Keppel FELS and its technology arms, Offshore Technology Development (OTD) and Keppel Offshore & Marine Technology Centre (KOMtech) have developed a new vessel concept to improve the efficiency of installing and maintaining offshore wind farms.
Keppel Verolme BV (Keppel Verolme) and consortium partner Areva Energietechnik GmbH, a German subsidiary of French energy company Areva, have secured a € 62 million (S$ 117.6 million) contract from Wetfeet Offshore Windenergy GmbH (Wetfeet Offshore) to build a Mobile Offshore Application Barge (MOAB) for a new offshore wind farm in the German Exclusive Economic Zone in the North Sea. This self-erecting floating platform will be deployed at the Global Tech I Wind Farm that is being built and operated by Wetfeet Offshore. Utilising the patent-pending solution of Areva Offshore Platform, the MOAB will host the transformers and high voltage switchgears to collect and convert electricity generated by the wind turbines for delivery to Germany’s national power grid. It is also equipped with critical control systems to serve as a backup power supply for the wind farm in case of emergencies. This innovative and customised solution combines the well-proven and state-of-the-art technologies from the oil & gas and electro-technical businesses. Mr Harold Linssen, Managing Director of Keppel Verolme in The Netherlands, said, »We are very pleased to participate in the prestigious Global Tech I wind farm. This latest contract marks Keppel’s successful entry into the offshore wind energy business, and affirms Wetfeet Offshore’s confidence in our ability with Areva to deliver the best solution for the job.« Germany aims at raising its percentage of electricity generated from renewable energy sources to at least 20 % by 2020 and 50 % by 2050. A major element in achieving this target is to further develop the capacity of its offshore wind sector«. The Global Tech I wind farm will be located about 110 km northwest of Cuxhaven (Germany) in the German Exclusive Economic Zone in the North Sea consisting of eighty 5-Megawatt (MW) class wind turbines. When fully operational in 2013, this wind farm will be able to generate some 1.4 billion kWh of electrical energy annually, supplying one million people with clean energy. It is also expected to help cut some 1.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. MOAB will provide permanent accommodation for up to 32 personnel operating the wind farm. By serving both energy transmission and wind farm maintenance functions, MOAB helps to enhance the operational reliability and efficiency of Global Tech I, contributing overall to a greener environment. Keppel Verolme will carry out the detailed engineering and construction work on this new platform designed by Overdick GmbH & Co, while Areva designs, fabricates and installs the transformers and other high voltage equipment. The vessel is targeted for completion in the fourth quarter of 2011. »Our parent company, Keppel Offshore & Marine’s core competencies in technology and project execution allow us to respond swiftly with innovative and cost-effective solutions to meet the offshore industry’s demand for new products and services. Given our proximity to the European and North Sea markets, and synergy with 20 global yards, Keppel Verolme is in a strategic position to add value to the emerging offshore wind industry. The MOAB project will certainly benefit from as it augments the strong track record and expertise in delivering a variety of advanced offshore rigs and vessels on time, within budget and without incidents«, Mr Linssen added.
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