Shell Trading & Shipping has chartered three anchor handling tug support (AHTS) vessels for a combined £840,000 from Viking Supply Ships, according to brokers’ reports.
The vessels will assist in the repositioning and mobilisation of Diamond Offshore’s semi-submersible drilling platform Ocean Patriot, which recently completed its contract in the North Sea.
Viking Supply’s 18,300-bhp Tor Viking II has been hired by Shell for 14 days at a rate of £18,000 per day. The period reportedly commenced on Tuesday.
Loke Viking and Njord Viking (both 19,050 bhp) have both been hired for the same period at a daily rate of £21,000.
The day rates are above the £17,714 average spot rate recorded during September so far for AHTSs of over 18,000 bhp, according to calculations by OSV broker Westshore. August’s average rate for the vessels was $18,988 per day.
The new contracts with Shell will lend some much-needed support to Viking Supply, which has had a turbulent year so far, having battled with some of its bondholders to approve its restructuring.
An agreement was struck with the bondholders last week, which saved the company from having to declare bankruptcy.
