Vard Holdings Ltd., a Fincantieri company, has a contract with Bourbon to design and build an ice-class anchor-handling tug supply vessel (AHTS).
The arctic AHTS vessel by Vard Design was developed for world-wide anchor handling and remote operations, with a total length of 93.6m, a beam of 24m and a bollard pull of approx. 270 ton. The vessel is arranged to accommodate a remote operating vehicle (ROV) and has accommodation capacity for 60 persons. Vard describes the vessel as having "superior anchor-handling capabilities" as well as a hybrid propulsion system that will provide energy savings.
The new vessel will be operated by Bourbon ƶijϻ Norway (Fosnavåg) and is scheduled for delivery from Vard Brattvaag in Norway in 1Q 2016. The hull of the vessel will be delivered from Vard Tulcea in Romania.
Vard Group AS is headquartered in Ålesund, Norway and has ten shipbuilding facilities worldwide – five in Norway, two in Romania, two in Brazil, and one in Vietnam.
Vard said it has already delivered seven sophisticated vessels to Bourbon and is "pleased to welcome the company back into its client portfolio.”
