Havyard boatbuild strategy

Building OSVs

Havyard is pushing ahead with its OSV build programme. Danish shipping company Esvagt has taken delivery of the first of three offshore service vessels (OSVs) built by Havyard Ship Technology’s Leirvik yard.

The second vessel will be due for delivery in March. Both will be used under long-term contracts with Siemens for service assignments at offshore windfarms. Meanwhile a third vessel being built will be destined for Dudgeon windfarm, operated by Statoil.

Havyard Design & Solutions delivered the design and detailed engineering for production of the vessel while Havyard Power & Systems, was responsible for electrical engineering, automation and alarm systems and bridge.

Gisle Vinjevoll Thrane, senior vice president sales at Havyard Design & Solutions, said that the economic climate could help the company enter into more opportunities beyond the renewables, oil and gas markets.

“The low exchange rate for the Norwegian krone is an advantage for us, and we are now finding that we can compete with countries that we have previously regarded as low-cost countries,” he said. “This is a golden opportunity for foreign shipping companies, or shipping companies whose revenues are in foreign currency, to build in Norway.”

Hybrid strategy

Meanwhile, the Havyard Group has also acquired 50.5% ownership interest in the technology company Norwegian Electric Systems AS, making the group the majority shareholder.

The group’s strategy is to develop and deliver ship technology through having control of the critical links in the value chain for the design and construction of advanced vessels, particularly those with diesel-electric or hybrid propulsion systems, which are a critical and strongly integrated element in the overall ship design.

Geir Johan Bakke, president and CEO, Havyard Group, said: “Our main motivation for increasing our holding in Norwegian Electric Systems is that we want to contribute to developing even better products for our customers, whether they buy a system from Norwegian Electric Systems or a ship design or newbuild from Havyard.”

By Anne-Marie Causer