Rigs News

Belgium-based offshore installation services company DEME has taken delivery of its new wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) Norse Wind at the CIMC Raffles Shipyard.Designed to install the next generation of offshore wind turbines, the vessel combines advanced technology and sustainable design features to offer enhanced installation capability.Built by CIMC Raffles and designed by GustoMSC, Norse Wind is equipped to install turbines with rotor diameters of more than 300 meters and XXL monopiles weighing up to 3…

Norwegian subsea services firm Reach Subsea has been granted a trading permit to operate its Reach Remote 1 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) entirely through remote operations - without a support vessel.The permit was issued by the Norwegian Maritime Authorities, with technical validation and support from DNV. Reach Remote 1 has already been in full commercial operation, and this permit initiates the final phase towards full certification.This is the first approval of its kind for an USV of this size with integrated Work Class ROV capability…

Robosys Automation, a leader in maritime autonomy, vessel control systems, and smart shipping solutions, has announced that it has secured a new contract to retrofit a 26-meter Damen 2610 Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) Twin Axe High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV), with its flagship VOYAGER AI advanced maritime autonomy software.The vessel, built in 2015 to Lloyd’s Register classification standards, is powered by twin Caterpillar C32 engines with direct drives and is equipped with an Alphatron autopilot…

Aker Solutions and Kongsberg Discovery have teamed up to deploy a drone detection system aimed at protecting offshore infrastructure, beginning with a demonstrator at Aker Solutions’ site in Stavanger.The system uses Kongsberg’s Drone Detection Radar and is part of a broader plan to roll out surveillance technologies across the North Sea to bolster situational awareness around energy assets and transit lanes.Kongsberg Discovery develops navigation, acoustic and marine robotics systems…

Reach Subsea has exercised the first in a series of exclusive options with Kongsberg Maritime for the delivery of the next two uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), Reach Remote 3 and 4.The contract terms have been mutually agreed and remain confidential between the parties.Delivery is scheduled for the second half of 2027, marking a key milestone in Reach Subsea’s USV scaling program.The specifications for Reach Remote 3 and 4 will mirror the first two vessels, with targeted adjustments…

Roll Group has signed the long-term charter of the wide deck carrier Bigroll KMC Beaumont from its partner KMC Bluewhale.The vessel was delivered in Singapore and will immediately begin operations to support of Roll Group’s expanding global project logistics and transportation services.With its 139-meter length overall and 32-meter deck width, the Bigroll KMC Beaumont is expected to enhance the company’s ability to transport heavy and oversized cargoes across key markets, particularly…

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Tuesday that environmental agency Ibama should be satisfied with the results of an emergency drill done by state-run oil firm Petrobras in the country's Foz do Amazonas basin, ahead of Ibama's official assessment."Petrobras has already carried out the test. Ibama should be satisfied with the results of the research, and Ibama will now grant us the license to carry out the first experiment," Lula said in an interview with local news channel Rede Amazonica.Despite Lula's claims…

Kongsberg Maritime has developed a simplified mooring system for offshore floating structures. Building on its patent-pending integrated tensioning and remote pull-in technologies, the company is now focused on reducing cost, complexity, and environmental impact across the mooring system lifecycle.The latest developments center on minimizing mooring components and enabling future layouts that avoid active tensioning equipment in permanent systems. The solution provides a controlled…

The development Argentina’s vast Vaca Muerta share is transforming the nation into a rising energy exporter, with oil and pipeline gas already flowing abroad and an ambitious multi-phase ‘Argentina LNG’ initiative aiming to secure a permanent place in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. While geological resources appear sufficient, the scale and pace of development, however, present challenges.‘Argentina LNG’ is a large-scale LNG scheme designed to massively develop Vaca Muerta's resources to deliver energy to domestic and international market.

Germany’s largest utility RWE and U.K.’s largest shipowner-operator North Star have signed long-term agreements for next-generation service operation vessels (SOVs) to maintain RWE’s growing offshore wind fleet.The companies have agreed that RWE will charter two SOVs, the Grampian Eagle and the Grampian Kestrel, from North Star, both capable of using alternative low-emission fuels.Full marine services will be delivered by North Star as part of the charters.RWE and North Star have also signed reservation agreements for two newbuild vessels delivered by the Norwegian Vard Group.

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a development program framework agreement with Noble Corporation, marking a key step forward in the co-development of advanced marine technologies for the offshore drilling sector.The long-term strategic partnership will focus on the joint development, piloting, and commercialization of innovative solutions aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, risk assessment, and sustainability in offshore operations.The first pilot project under this agreement will be launched later in 2025 on the drillship Noble Sam Croft…

Houston-based designer of mobile offshore drilling units Friede & Goldman (F&G) has signed an engineering agreement with Peak Ocean Offshore, a specialist in offshore asset conversion and lifecycle optimization, for the design and engineering of a major semi-submersible accommodation conversion project.The agreement formalizes F&G’s role as the design and engineering authority for the project, which involves converting a legacy F&G ExD design drilling semi-submersible into a high…

Dutch offshore installation firm Van Oord has ordered two next-generation subsea rock installation vessels, which will built by Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore in China.Capable of operating on methanol and with a focus on innovation and automation, the vessels will strengthen Van Oord’s position in subsea rock installation and offshore energy infrastructure protection.The first vessel is expected to enter the market in 2028, with a second vessel expected to follow within one year.The new vessels will be equipped with a loading capacity of 35…

The Rotra Futura Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) vessel has entered operations, with the transportation of wind turbine blades from Denmark to the United States.The project supply vessel, specifically designed to handle larger and heavier offshore wind turbine components, collected the 108-meter-long blades at the Port of Aalborg, Denmark, under the supervision of deugro Denmark’s wind experts.The vessel, delivered in late March 2025, was developed as part of the the partnership between Danish logistics specialist deugro…

The Bonaparte CCS project has been awarded Major Project Status by the Australian Government. It is the first offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) project to receive the status in Australia.The Bonaparte CCS Assessment Joint Venture is operated by Inpex subsidiary Inpex Browse E&P (53%) and also involves TotalEnergies CCS Australia (26%) and Woodside Energy (21%).The awarding highlights the project’s recognized potential to support a lower carbon future as well as reflecting…

DOF Group has signed multiple contracts for the Skandi Inventor subsea construction vessel (SCV) in the Atlantic region. The contract is for 100 days of firm work, with additional options available.The Skandi Inventor, a state-of-the-art DP3 construction vessel equipped with a 400-ton Active Heave Compensated (AHC) crane and a large working deck, has recently undergone significant upgrades. The vessel is now fitted with two brand new Work Class ROVs (WROVs) and a modern survey suite…

Norwegian offshore vessel operator Solstad Offshore has confirmed contracts for two of its construction support vessels (CSVs), which will be put to work in South America.The first contract is with Petrobras for the Normand Flower CSV, owned by Solstad Maritime.The contract, valued at $115 million excluding ROV services, was first announced in April 2025, and has now been formally approved and signed.It will begin in January 2026 with a has a duration of four years.The vessel will be on bareboat contracts from Solstad Maritime to Solstad Offshore…

Acteon’s Rocksteady Tension Tool (RSTT) has been selected by InnovateUK iX, a UK program designed to fast-track knowledge transfer and accelerate innovation. The RSTT is a reusable in-line winch and connection system designed to enable mid-line hookup of mooring lines at final tension to optimize the hook-up and disconnection processes between mooring systems and floating offshore wind turbines.The RSTT is expected to significantly reduce capital expenditure and installation costs by eliminating the need for fairleads…

Aramco President & CEO Amin H. Nasser used his address at Energy Asia 2025 to deliver a pointed message: the global energy transition must be rebalanced with pragmatism, especially for fast-growing regions like Asia that are still heavily reliant on conventional energy.In his speech, Nasser said that the transition narrative of recent years — one that promised a swift, seamless move away from oil and gas — has not aligned with the realities of global demand, particularly in Asia. “We were told it would be rapid, painless, and inevitably mean the collapse of conventional energy.

Oil market participants have switched to dreading a shortage in fuel from focusing on impending oversupply in just two days this week.After Israel attacked Iran and Tehran pledged to retaliate, oil prices jumped as much as 13% to their highest since January as investors price in an increased probability of a major disruption in Middle East oil supplies.Part of the reason for the rapid spike is that spare capacity among OPEC and allies to pump more oil to offset any disruption is roughly equivalent to Iran's output…

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, part of technology group Wärtsilä, has been contracted to supply a regasification module for Höegh Evi, which will be installed onboard the LNG carrier Hoegh Gandria to convert the vessel to a high-capacity floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).When converted, the Hoegh Gandria will be deployed in the port of Sumed, Egypt.It will supply the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company with up to 1,000 mmscf/day of peak LNG regasification capacity, making…

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to supply a comprehensive equipment package for four new offshore construction vessels (OCVs) to be built at Cosco Nantong for Norwegian offshore services provider Sea1 Offshore.Kongsberg Maritime and Sea1 Offshore will also collaborate on a study to accurately assess emissions reductions achieved with Kongsberg’s equipment.The equipment package includes K-Pos dynamic positioning systems, integrated control and navigation systems, battery hybrid DC electrical systems…

Finland's Steerprop expanded its range of retractable thrusters with its biggest unit to date. Designed for offshore vessels and workboats that need high-performance station-keeping or thrust boost capabilities, the SP 45 R will be introduced on several offshore, renewables and special purpose vessels.Working with vessel operators and designers, Steerprop identified that the sealing and locking mechanisms are often a weak point for retractable designs. The R series minimizes downtime…