Page 24: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2023)

SHIPYARD CAPACITY

Panagiotis Mitrou, Philip Lewis,

Lloyd’s Register Intelatus Global Partners (see chart below). But the demand will still be there for US- some scope for upgrades and conversions. In mid-July, Horn- built SOVs and CTVs. beck Offshore revealed a deal with Florida-based Eastern

Intelatus’ monthly US offshore wind report identi? es a Shipbuilding Group Inc to convert a recently delivered Jones short-to-medium term requirement for 6-13 SOVs and a lon- Act-compliant offshore supply vessel into a SOV. ger-term requirement for between 40-80 units. So far, only The 279-foot vessel will undergo a series of modi? cations three SOVs are being built in US yards. Meanwhile, Intelatus’ and upgrades prior to a scheduled redelivery in spring 2025. long-range forecast for CTV requirements indicates that 70- The project, conducted jointly with the ship’s original de- 145 vessels are likely to be needed. signer, VARD, will enable the HOSSOVTM 300E to sup-

Even with project clustering, therefore, the supply chain port both wind farm construction as well as operations and could prove a limiting factor in the supply of Jones Act ves- maintenance. sels. However, one recent project indicates that there could be Earlier this year, Bernard Schulte Offshore took delivery of the modi? ed Windea Leibniz, following an upgrade at the ship’s original Norwegian builder, Ulstein. The vessel was converted from a SOV to a Commissioning SOV, with extra accommodation and a new height-adjustable pedestal for the motion-compensated gangway enabling operation in a range between 57 feet and 75 feet above the waterline.

LNG Carrier Logjam

Meanwhile, in the LNG sector, supplies of pipelined gas from Russia had to be replaced in a hurry last year during the months following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. LNG im- ports to Europe, much of the gas coming from the US, drove record LNG carrier contracting.

The relatively small number of yards capable of building these sophisticated vessels are full in practical terms until at least the middle of 2027. Chevron’s likely order of up to six ships at Samsung Heavy Industries will see the ? rst deliveries in 2028. New ship prices have risen by close to 40% over the last two years.

Source: Intelatus Global Partners 24 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • August 2023

MR #8 (18-33).indd 24 8/3/2023 11:00:26 AM