Keppel O&M lands contracts for US dredger and FSRU conversion

Photo: Keppel O&M Keppel AmFELS.jpg
Keppel AmFELS
Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) has landed two contracts worth approximately SGD200m ($147m) in total to build a dredger and undertake a FSRU conversion.

Keppel O&M’s wholly-owned Keppel AmFELS in the US will construct a high-specification Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) for Manson Construction. The TSHD will be the first dredger to be built at Keppel AmFELS yard in Brownsville, Texas.

The TSHD, with a hopper capacity of 15,000 cubic yards, will operate primarily in the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Coast of the US. The high-automated vessel with a diesel-electric power system will be Jones Act Compliant.

John Holms, president of Manson Construction, said: “We are confident they [Keppel AmFELS] will provide us an efficient, environmentally-friendly and high quality dredge that exceeds the stringent environmental restrictions and regulations for dredges in the US.”

In Singapore, another of Keppel O&M’s subsidiary Keppel Shipyard is undertaking the conversion of a LNG carrier to a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) bound for Acajutla port in El Salvador.

The contract was inked with FSRU Development, a joint venture firm between BW Gas Limited and Invenergy Investment Company. The FSRU will be El Salvador’s first integrated LNG-to-power project.

Keppel O&M has worked with BW Group on more than 10 projects including FPSO and FSRU conversions.

“Amidst the challenges of dealing with Covid-19, we have put in place measures across all our operations, whether in Singapore or the US, to ensure that work is conducted in both a responsible and efficient manner so that we can deliver the vessels safely, on time, and within budget,” said Chris Ong, ceo of Keppel O&M.

The latest projects represent Keppel’s ninth newbuild dredger and fifth FSRU conversion.

To-date, Keppel O&M has delivered four dredgers and is currently building another four, with hopper capacities ranging from 6,000-10,500 cu m.

Keppel O&M’s track record in gas solutions includes FSRUs as well as a number of LNG-fuelled vessels. It has previously delivered the world’s first FLNG and is currently working on a second FLNG as well as Singapore’s first LNG bunkering vessel.