Fairmount Marine keeping busy

These involve the positioning of an FPSO offshore Nigeria and delivery of a semi-submersible drilling rig to the US Gulf following a 5,400 mile tow.

Fairmount Marine’s fleet includes five modern 16,320bhp, 205t bollard pull, anchor handling ‘super-tugs’ all built by Niigata in Japan and all less than six years old. Operated under the Dutch flag, they are active in the long distance towage of large vessels and objects, including FPSOs, drilling rigs and platforms associated with the offshore oil and gas industry. The company also provides services in the salvage, marine contracting, offshore supply and heavy lift transportation sectors (its fleet includes the 50,000 ton semi-submersible barge Gavea Lifter).

Earlier this year, Fairmount was contracted by Saipem Energies to assist in the installation of the FPSO Usan, offshore Nigeria. Construction of the 320m long, 61m wide Usan commenced in 2008 at Hyundai Heavy Industries, with its delivery and positioning at the Usan field, around 100km south of Port Harcourt earlier this year.

A 200 ton bollard pull tug was required to assist in the installation operation and Fairmount’s 2006 built Fairmount Glacierwas allocated to carry out the task. When Saipem contracted the tug, it had just completed a successful docking in Durban, and after a stop for preparation work to be carried out at Pointe Noire, in the Republic of the Congo, arrived on site in early August. The contract, as well as providing general assistance to the Usan, also involved almost nine weeks of continuous heading control as part of the installation process.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, Fairmount Marine was contracted by Houston based drilling contractor Diamond Offshore Drilling for the towage of the semi-submersible drilling rig Ocean Yorktown from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Brownsville in Texas. The rig was built in 1976 by Avondale Shipyard USA and is classed by ABS. Once again one of Fairmount’s super tugs was allocated for the tow, this time the 2006 built Fairmount Alpine. The tug had also just left drydock in Durban, following a special survey and was mobilised towards Rio de Janeiro. Upon arrival, assistance was provided to the Ocean Yorktownin the field, in preparation for the journey. The tow was successfully completed after a voyage lasting 34 days, covering the 5,400 miles at an average speed of 6.6 knots, including a two day bunker stop.

Diamond Offshore Drilling are no strangers to Fairmount Marine, the Ocean Yorktowndelivery being the fifth operation for the towage company. Four similar tows were carried out during 2010.

By Peter Barker