OREANDA-NEWS. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has signed a shipbuilding contract with Island Offshore Shipholding LP (Island Offshore) for one vessel to be built according to the Mobile Offshore Unit (MOU) regulations.

Island Offshore, based in Norway, is a company offering a range of complex services to the offshore industry including Light Well Intervention, Subsea Installation and Maintenance, Anchor Handling as well as Logistics and Supply.

The unit is a UT 777 vessel designed by Rolls Royce and Island Offshore in close cooperation. The topside handling equipment will be delivered by National Oilwell. Emphasis has been placed on designing and outfitting the vessel for optimal subsea operations and Island Offshore has built-in experience from operating equivalent units over the last 10 years.

Kawasaki will build the vessel at its Kobe shipyard and carry out the necessary engineering work for the construction together with Rolls Royce. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2017.

Kawasaki will actively pursue its shipbuilding operations in light of the expected rise in demand for the offshore industry, including various offshore service vessels and offshore structures.