Shanghai: China continues to get closer to Korea in its offshore construction capabilities with news that Singapore’s Opus Offshore has taken its options at CSSC-affiliated Shanghai Shipyard for two more drillships. The latest pair are in addition to the two signed in September 2011.
The ‘Tiger’ design is 170.3 m long, 32 m wide and can drill to 30,000 ft. The first of the two ordered back in 2011 has been launched and will be delivered later this year.
Drillships represent the cream of the crop for shipbuilders with prices for the highest spec drillships approaching $1bn – a domain that has been held largely by the Koreans, but latterly Chinese yards including CIMC Raffles and DSIC, have got in on the act, albeit for smaller, lower spec ship types.
Opus Offshore was founded in Singapore in 2011 to focus on mid- and deepwater drillships. It is part of the Reignwood Group. A strategic alliance was formed with Shanghai Shipyard to jointly develop the yard’s entrance into the drillship sector. [04/04/14]
