SeaQuest has recently been awarded a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) for the Oversight and Surveillance of the build of four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) tankers. The vessels will be built by South Korean builder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) in their Geoje island yard, with steel cutting of the first hull planned for June 2014.
In announcing the contract signature, Sebastiano Portunato, Director of SeaQuest, said: "We are extremely proud of this prestigious achievement which coincides with our ten year anniversary of uninterrupted activity in Far Eastern shipyards. Competitors were amongst highly reputed and experienced international marine service companies."
Jan Andersson, Managing Director & General Manager, continued: "I am directly involved in this highly valued project, overlooking all phases from selection of site team members until the sailing out of last vessel from yard’s quay. Thanks to our proprietary Supervision Quality System ISO 9001:2008 and the clear understanding of Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) requirements, we shall manage and control all steps of the construction process to support the builder in delivering top quality vessels to the expectations of MoD."
The supervision team, formed by SeaQuest experienced personnel, consists of multinational specialists in various ship building domains and will include HSE, Integrated Logistics Support as well as automation/electric inspectors working side by side with machinery, piping, hull and coating inspectors and document controllers. The team will act in close cooperation with the DE&S Commercially Supported Shipping Team (CSS).
The new generation of 37,000t tankers have been ordered for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) to support future Royal Navy operations around the globe. The new MARS tankers, designed to the highest environmental standards possible, will maintain the Royal Navy’s ability to refuel at sea and will provide fuel to warships, helicopters and task groups.
The tankers will support deployed amphibious, land and air forces close to the shore, will be able to operate helicopters, and are planned to enter service from 2016, replacing existing RFA single-hulled tankers.