Anchor handling capabilities secure orders
Cargotec has won a contract to supply four sets of MacGregor anchor handling systems to a series of anchor handling tug supply (AHTS) vessels.
But it’s not just the hardware, Cargotec is following the craft with equipment maintenance agreements to give an all round service. The equipment on these AHTS vessels (which are based on a SPA80 design jointly developed by Bourbon and its partner Shanghai Design Associates), will be following a well established pattern.
‘The systems employ proven technologies already specified for more than 54 Bourbon Liberty 200 series AHTS vessels, of which 42 ships have been delivered so far,’ explained Francis Wong, Cargotec’s sales director for anchor handling solutions. ‘The safe and efficient AHTS equipment, with state of the art technology, has been specially designed and manufactured to meet Bourbon’s operational requirements.’
The orders mark the beginning of Cargotec’s ‘integrated marketing strategy’, which means that new sales and service products and systems are being brought together. This, says Mr Wong, ‘will result in equipment maintenance agreements following the entry of these ships into service’.
In addition to these contracts, Cargotec is further strengthening its position in the growing Asian market by securing new orders from various shipyards that require integrated solutions for specific ship types.
The orders are for MacGregor anchor handling equipment, ranging from 100 ton to 150 ton line pull anchor handling/ towing winches, and also include anchor windlasses, tugger winches, capstans, storage reels, telescopic cranes, stern rollers, and shark jaws/towing pins. The MacGregor equipment will be delivered during the second quarter of 2011.
Some of the equipment has been specified for three anchor handling tugs being built at Sapor Shipbuilding Industries in Malaysia. Other anchor handling equipment is destined for a 45m anchor handling offshore support tug being built at GMG International Shipbuilding & Trading Co Ltd in China, and for a 60m anchor handling offshore support vessel being built at the Chinese yard Fujian Crown Ocean Shipbuilding Industry Co.
Equipment for the latter two vessels will be delivered during the first quarter of 2011.
