Chinese shipyard launches first of four Guido Perla & Associates PSVs for Bourbon

Bourbon Hamos, a 670 MKII Special Products PSV, at its launch at Zhejiang shipyard.

(SEATTLE, WA – December 3, 2007) Zhejiang Shipyard in China has launched the “Bourbon Hamos”, the first of four Guido Perla & Associates (GPA) 670 MKII Special Products Platform Support Vessels owned by French marine services provider Bourbon Offshore. With this order, Bourbon’s well-proven GPA-designed fleet expands to 100 vessels.

The 70-meter GPA 670 MKII Special Products vessels are equipped with three 1,825 kW main diesel generators, two 2,000 kW open-water propeller Z-Drive units, as well as two 746 kW tunnel bow thrusters, and one 170 kW emergency generator. The use of environmentally friendly diesel-electric propulsion results in excellent fuel efficiency, as well as lower operating cost for the owner.

The GPA 670 MKII Special Products will primarily be engaged in the transport of stores, materials and equipment to offshore installations in tropical areas and distinguishes itself from other platform support vessels mainly due to its ability to carry approximately 170 cubic meters of special products such as methanol in specially designed tanks located in the aft end of the vessel. Furthermore, the DP2- and FFV1-certified vessel, which can accommodate 23 crewmembers, also provides the capability to carry 255 cubic meters of bulk material, as well as 1,083 cubic meters of liquid products.   

Delivery for the last of the four GPA 670 MKII Special Products is expected in August 2008, increasing the number of GPA 670 PSVs Bourbon owns to 18.

By Professional Mariner Staff