Boskalis Signs Fall Pipe Vessel Contract With Keppel
Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. has signed a contract with Singapore based Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd for the construction and completion of a new fall pipe vessel. The vessel with an overall length of 159 m is expected to be completed late 2011 and will be deployed in oil and gas offshore projects. Boskalis’ activities in the energy-driven offshore markets include the construction and protection of oil and gas pipelines located on or in the seabed. Fall pipe vessels are designed to place rocks in deeper water with great precision. The vessel will have a flexible fall pipe with a ROV (remotely operated vehicle) at the lower end for better positioning. Rocks are lowered through the fall pipe at a controlled rate, while the vessel moves along its track under dynamic control. The ROV is controlled from the ship, and can be precisely positioned above the job. Boskalis currently operates two fall pipe vessels: Seahorse and Sandpiper. Seahorse can be fitted with an A-frame located on the stern and an ROV-steered clamshell grab, making it possible to dredge down to depths of 1,000 m.
The Boskalis strategy is designed to benefit from the key macro-economic drivers that are fueling global demand in our selected markets: global trade, increasing energy consumption, expanding population pressures and the challenges of changing climate conditions.
The construction of the fall pipe vessel reinforces the requirement for infrastructure to accommodate the strong demand for energy resources.