Chouest adds to newbuilding programme

Vessel & ROV News - September 7, 2012

The Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) family of companies has announced additions to its newbuild programme.

ECO, which currently has 25 vessels under construction at shipyards worldwide, has added another eight Jone Act class deepwater offshore service vessels, with delivery to occur in the next 24 months.

Thus far in 2012, ECO has delivered 13 new vessels, both domestic and worldwide, with three of those in the 300ft/5,150 dwt Jones Act class, the first in the previously announced newbuild class of 2011.

The 2012 deliveries also include PSVs in Brazil, two well stimulation vessels, fast supply boats, a Norwegian-built PSV, as well as Aiviq, the ice class anchor handler currently at work in Alaska.

“Our goal remains to provide our customers with the most cost-effective solutions in the industry,” said ECO Vice President of Operations Dino Chouest. This new group of newbuilds will be constructed on speculation.

Hulls 14-21 in this series of 300ft class vessels are in the early stages of construction, with steel and equipment on order, according to ECO President Gary Chouest.

Construction will occur at the four Chouest affiliate shipyards: North American Shipbuilding (Larose, LA), La Ship (Houma, LA), Gulf Ship (Gulfport, MS) and Tampa Ship (Tampa, FL).

“At the same time, we are also increasing our international order book to replace Jones Act tonnage that departed the Gulf of Mexico two years ago, now slated to return,” said Dino Chouest. That segment of vessels includes six boats under construction at Remontowa SA in Gdansk, Poland, as well as 11 vessels (nine PSVs, two anchor handlers) at Chouest affiliate shipyard Navship in Navegantes, Brazil.

ECO also has four 194ft fast supply vessels currently under construction at Breaux Brothers Enterprises in Loreauville, LA.