Sri Lanka Dockyard Wins Contract for Two Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessels (MPSVs) for Greatship Global Offshore Services of Singapore

28th October 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lankan shipbuilder Colombo Dockyard has secure contracts for two 78-metre Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessels (MPSVs) for Greatship Global Offshore Services of Singapore, a statement said.

The vessels, to support offshore oil and gas fields around the clock, are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of the 2012 financial year and the first quarter of 2013.

The yard, a unit of Japan's Onomichi Dockyard Company, did not disclose the price of the vessels, which are of 3,600 tonne deadweight capacity.

Greatship Global Offshore Services is a Singapore incorporated subsidiary of Greatship (India), which is a subsidiary of The Great Eastern Shipping Company.

The statement said Colombo Dockyard had already built two MPSVs to similar design.

The yard worked in collaborative consultation with the owners and Designer Seatech Solutions International of Singapore on the new vessels.

The new platform supply vessels have been designed to perform oil recovery functions as well, meeting the emerging needs of the industry and owners, the yard said.

"These vessels are designed for operating as advanced PSVs as well as light construction support vessels."

The vessels are capable of undertaking multi-purpose roles such as oil recovery, transportation of pipes, fresh water, diesel, methanol, bulk cement, stores, equipment, deck cargo, and transfer of materials between platforms and shore.

Colombo Dockyard also said the new vessels would be among the "greenest, eco-friendly vessels" ever to be built in the yard.

The vessels will be fully equipped with a ballast water management plan, be capable of treating water before discharge to the sea and have 'eco-friendly' refrigerant.

Related Info:
Sri Lanka's Colombo Dockyard Delivers Supply Vessel to Singapore's Greatship Global Offshore Services

Sri Lanka's Colombo Dockyard Delivers First of Four Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessels to Singapore

Sri Lanka Hemas and Dockyard with Singapore's Toll Bid for Oilfield Services of Cairn India

14th May 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's Hemas group and Colombo Dockyard have teamed up with Singapore's Toll Offshore Petroleum Services to bid for Cairn India's contract for offshore oil field support services, officials said.

"Hemas Holdings, Colombo Dockyard and Toll Offshore Petroleum Services have jointly placed a bid for the offshore supply base for Cairn," Irshad Mushin, director - maritime transportation of Hemas group told LBO.

"We have proposed viable sites in Sri Lanka."

Cairn Lanka, a unit of Cairn India, which is part of Britain's Cairn Energy, has called for expressions of interest and pre-qualification for provision of services to support its exploration effort.

Cairn has called for support for drilling, testing and completion of exploratory wells in a deep-water block in the Mannar Basin off north-west Sri Lanka.

Cairn plans to start drilling test wells by January 2011 to May 2011.

Colombo Dockyard managing director Mangala Yapa said offshore oil explorations in Sri Lankan waters gives good opportunities for both engineering and shipping companies.

"Colombo Dockyard is confident we can be involved in some of the engineering and other logistics requirements, especially because we have a fully-fledged engineering facility within Colombo port," he told LBO.

"Even at present we are repairing many offshore vessels from India's offshore industry."

The yard also builds offshore support vessels and is therefore aware of the requirements, Yapa said.

"Our role would be to provide all possible engineering and other logistical assistance for Cairn along with other partners."

Toll Offshore Petroleum Services is a subsidiary of Toll Asia, which is part of Toll Holdings, a big transport and logistics group headquartered in Australia.

It owns and operates offshore supply bases in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China and Thailand.

Sri Lankan companies are keen to get Cairn's offshore support contract as it means new business in the new field of oil exploration.

It will also position them to offer similar services when exploration and drilling gets under way in other blocks in the Gulf of Mannar as well as in waters off the northern and southern coasts.

Sri Lankan firms would have to compete with firms in India which has an established offshore oil industry.

Oil explorations firms are expected to source some of their requirements from local industry in order to ensure the benefits of oil are shared in the domestic economy and also provide employment for locals.

Among the services requested by Cairn are anchor handling tugs, supply vessels and offshore supply barges.

Cairn Lanka has also called for rig positioning and site survey services, supply of fuel and water, provision of local logistic support such as cranes, port clearances, boat calls, and offshore supply base services.

Another service requested is air logistics which will provide opportunities for helicopter services offered by local aviation firms, officials said.

Cairn's exploration licence to explore for oil and natural gas in the Mannar Basin covers about 3,000 square kilometres in water depths of 200-1,800 metres.

Sri Lanka Could Have Hydrocarbon Deposits off the Northern and Southern Coasts. Oil Exploration Activities Bring New Business to Colombo Dockyard

14th December 2009, www.island.lk, By Devan Daniel

Petroleum Minister A H M Fouzie said Sri Lanka could have hydrocarbon deposits off the Northern and Southern coasts. The Cabinet is yet to approve a paper allowing the Ministry of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources to call for bids from oil exploration companies, he said.

If all goes well, Sri Lanka’s waters could be teaming with oil exploration vessels.

The Island Financial Review spoke to Mangala P B Yapa, managing director and CEO of blue-chip ship repair and heavy engineering company, Colombo Dockyard PLC, about the potential of new business the oil exploration activities and possible off-shore oil excavations could bring the company.

"Colombo Dock Yard specialises in dry dock and offshore ship repairs and maintenance. We have also carried out repairs and maintenance to oil rigs and dredging vessels. We are focusing a lot on Dockyard General Engineering Services, which specialises in engineering, construction, maintenance and auxiliary services," Yapa said.

Yapa said oil exploration activities bring new business to other sectors as well.

"Logistics and crew transport is something we do not provide, but yes other companies in Sri Lanka could provide this service," he said.

Yapa, however, said the limiting factor would be space constraints in Colombo.

"We do not have the space in Colombo required to carry out repairs on rigs and dredging vessels. Because of the monsoons, these repairs must be carried out in calm waters. Rigs would have to be completely towed to calmer waters.

"Rigs on the Mannar Basin that need repairs cannot be towed to Trincomalee — a natural harbour — from the North so Colombo is the closest destination. Hambantota — when it is ready —would be too far as well," Yapa said.