Jurong Shipyard Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Sembcorp Marine, has contracted Wärtsilä to supply main generating engines and thrusters for six new deep water drill ships to be built in Brazil at Estaleiro Jurong Aracruz. The contract was signed at the end of September.
The Jurong Aracruz shipyard will build the vessels for Sete Brasil, an investment company that manages asset portfolios in the oil and gas sector. The drill ships to be used in the pre-salt deep-water drilling programme of the Brazilian energy giant, Petrobras, will be operated by drilling contractors Seadrill and Odfjell.
Wärtsilä Equipment to Be Installed
Each of the six ships will be powered by 16-cylinder Wärtsilä 32 main generating sets (picture) and FS3510/NU underwater de-mountable thrusters, with the first deliveries scheduled for 2013. The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2015. Wärtsilä has had operations in Brazil for more than 20 years and currently employs more than 600 people there.
Jurong shipyard has earlier built several offshore rigs and vessels using Wärtsilä propulsion systems. Similarly, both Seadrill and Odfjell have existing vessels powered by Wärtsilä equipment.
