China’s Shanghai Shipyard inked a contract for construction of three firm drilling barges plus one option from a Singaporean shipowner. The first vessel of the newbuilding series is planned for delivery in 2015.
As an affiliate yard of China State Shipbuilding Corp (CSSC), Shanghai Shipyard is also known as one of the top five shipbuilding/ship repair complexes and one of the top three offshore production complexes of CSSC. The yard is currently focusing on developing offshore product market.
Since the shipyard successfully constructed China’s first offshore drilling platform 25 years ago, it carried out the first engineering work for 12,000ft drilling rig for the US shipowner in 2008 and 2009.
In addition, in the first quarter of 2014, the yard is planning to deliver the first vessel of 3,000ft Tiger series drillships for Reignwood Group. The yard is said to secure intellectual property right of the drillship.