TechnipFMC has announced the acquisition of newbuild diving support vessel Deep Discoverer from shipbuilder Vard.
The vessel was originally ordered by UK offshore service firm Harkand, which went bankrupt in 2016.
TechnipFMC signed a deal with Vard to purchase the vessel in late 2018, and the vessel is currently undergoing an operational readiness programme and will begin work in the first half of this year.
The vessel will primarily service the North Sea diving construction and inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) markets.
“This addition to our fleet not only demonstrates our steadfast commitment to diving construction operations in the North Sea, but also significantly improves our capabilities in the IRM market. Being able to deliver such a high standard of vessel at a competitive rate is further evidence of our company’s relentless drive to help our clients succeed,” said Bill Morrice, TechnipFMC’s vice president of commercial for UK and Mediterranean.