Rolls-Royce develops high-end offshore vessel

Rolls-Royce has won a £25 million order to provide integrated design and ship equipment for an offshore vessel for Norwegian ship owner Island Offshore.

In addition to the design and engineering package, Rolls-Royce will also supply the major systems, comprising the propulsion system with six generator sets and seven electrically run thrusters, control and automation systems, mooring and anchoring deck machinery and electric systems. The UT 777 ship, to be used in offshore drilling operations in harsh weather conditions, will be built in Japan by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and is scheduled for delivery in 2017. The vessel is designed to undertake a variety of subsea tasks, including drilling, subsea construction and inspection, and maintenance and repair work in deep waters. Håvard Ulstein, ceo of Island Offshore, said: "We are excited about building another game changer in the offshore market. Our collaboration with the Rolls-Royce design team in Norway has been vital in this process."