Denmark's Maersk group may have moved the bulk of its shipping operations to Malaysia's Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) but Singapore remains an important ship owning and management centre of the group with over 1.8 million gross tons of its fleet flying the Singapore flag.
Ms Lim: 'I am glad that the Singapore Registry of Ships is today recognised not just as a quality flag for ships, but also for rigs'
Last Saturday, group member Maersk Contractors disclosed that it will flag its new completed jack-up rig, Maersk Completer, with the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS). This marks the group's 35th vessel and the first jack-up rig to be registered with the SRS. The company plans to add at least another 20 vessels to the Singapore registry this year.
Said Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Lim Hwee Hua, at the naming ceremony for the Completer at SembCorp Marine's Jurong Shipyard: 'I understand that more of the group's vessels and rigs are expected to register with the SRS in the years ahead, and I am glad that the SRS is today recognised not just as a quality flag for ships, but also for rigs.'
AP Moller-Maersk's senior vice-president Paul Carsten Pederson, who is also Maersk Contractors' deputy chief executive officer, said: 'The famous Singaporean 'can do' attitude has worked well in combination with our engineering and management ideas. So when Maersk Contractors set out on an unprecedented expansion two years ago, it was natural for us to look to Singapore for the most competent construction yards to facilitate this growth. Today, we have under construction in Singapore, one FPSO (floating, production, storage and offloading vessel) and with one (more) to follow, three deepwater semi-submersibles and six high-efficiency jack-ups. The Singaporean industry has risen to such a challenge, and as the regulator, Singapore, also understands the international offshore industry, we have for the first time decided to let some of the rigs fly the Singapore flag.'
The Completer and its sister rig, which is due for completion in June next year, were originally ordered by Norway's Petrojack in December 2004 and April 2005 for about US$130 million each and sold to Maersk for a reported US$210 million each in July 2006.
Constructed on the Baker Marine Pacific Class 375 design, the Completer is capable of drilling in waters up to 375 ft deep and drill up to depths of 30,000 ft.
The vessel is being chartered by France's Total E&P Borneo for development drilling on the Maharaja Lela Field offshore Brunei for about US$200,000 a day.
SembMarine, the world's second largest builder of offshore oil rigs after Temasek-linked Keppel Corporation, currently has orders worth $3.8 billion to keep it busy till mid-2010. The company together with Keppel and other Singaporean companies have grown to become world leaders in the offshore sector, holding a market share of more than two-thirds for jack-up rigs and FPSO conversions, and more than 40 per cent for semi-submersible rigs.
Ms Lim: 'I am glad that the Singapore Registry of Ships is today recognised not just as a quality flag for ships, but also for rigs'
Last Saturday, group member Maersk Contractors disclosed that it will flag its new completed jack-up rig, Maersk Completer, with the Singapore Registry of Ships (SRS). This marks the group's 35th vessel and the first jack-up rig to be registered with the SRS. The company plans to add at least another 20 vessels to the Singapore registry this year.
Said Minister of State for Finance and Transport, Lim Hwee Hua, at the naming ceremony for the Completer at SembCorp Marine's Jurong Shipyard: 'I understand that more of the group's vessels and rigs are expected to register with the SRS in the years ahead, and I am glad that the SRS is today recognised not just as a quality flag for ships, but also for rigs.'
AP Moller-Maersk's senior vice-president Paul Carsten Pederson, who is also Maersk Contractors' deputy chief executive officer, said: 'The famous Singaporean 'can do' attitude has worked well in combination with our engineering and management ideas. So when Maersk Contractors set out on an unprecedented expansion two years ago, it was natural for us to look to Singapore for the most competent construction yards to facilitate this growth. Today, we have under construction in Singapore, one FPSO (floating, production, storage and offloading vessel) and with one (more) to follow, three deepwater semi-submersibles and six high-efficiency jack-ups. The Singaporean industry has risen to such a challenge, and as the regulator, Singapore, also understands the international offshore industry, we have for the first time decided to let some of the rigs fly the Singapore flag.'
The Completer and its sister rig, which is due for completion in June next year, were originally ordered by Norway's Petrojack in December 2004 and April 2005 for about US$130 million each and sold to Maersk for a reported US$210 million each in July 2006.
Constructed on the Baker Marine Pacific Class 375 design, the Completer is capable of drilling in waters up to 375 ft deep and drill up to depths of 30,000 ft.
The vessel is being chartered by France's Total E&P Borneo for development drilling on the Maharaja Lela Field offshore Brunei for about US$200,000 a day.
SembMarine, the world's second largest builder of offshore oil rigs after Temasek-linked Keppel Corporation, currently has orders worth $3.8 billion to keep it busy till mid-2010. The company together with Keppel and other Singaporean companies have grown to become world leaders in the offshore sector, holding a market share of more than two-thirds for jack-up rigs and FPSO conversions, and more than 40 per cent for semi-submersible rigs.