JANUARY 30, 2013 — A next generation Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR) vessel, designed for operations in the harshest environments, was named at a ceremony today in Stavanger, Norway.

Co-owned by Subsea 7 and Eidesvik, the Seven Viking, has been constructed in partnership with Ulstein.

The ICE-C class vessel with a crew capacity of 90 and a top speed of 17 knots, will work for Statoil on a five year contract. It has been custom-built according to the operator's specifications to carry out tasks including inspection, maintenance and repair of subsea installations in addition to scale treatment and RFO (Ready For Operations) work scopes.

The Seven Viking incorporates the Ulstein X-Bow hull line design to reduce motion in transit and gives increased stability in the potentially high waves that characterize the North Sea.

The vessel is a compact, 106.5 m x 24.5 m, version of the Ulstein SX148 design. The dimensions will allow the Seven Viking to maneuver with ease in confined spaces, such as between platforms, accessing difficult to reach areas.

Thanks to a configuration that maximizes hull space and integrates equipment within a large hangar area, the Seven Viking and its crew have the ability to carry all necessary maintenance equipment on board, ensuring that operational downtime is kept to a minimum.

A customized module handling system (MHS) has been integrated in the ship's hangar for the safe launch and retrieval of subsea modules weighing up to 70 tons through the moon pool.

To facilitate cooperation and communication, all operational personnel are gathered in one area adjacent to the hangar, with panoramic windows in the control room giving a full overview of this key activity area.

The Seven Viking has been developed to meet the highest working environment standards, and is classified as a comfort class COMF-V (3) vessel. Minimal noise levels in the hangar have been achieved by opting for electric winches for the ROVs, the MHS and other utility equipment.

Safety, efficiency and environmental considerations have been a prime focus for the co-owners and the shipbuilder when developing the Seven Viking, which carries the Clean Design notation.

Environmentally friendly features include diesel electric propulsion, which reduces atmospheric emissions, and the electrical winches which nullify the risk of emissions of hydraulic oil.

Subsea 7 Vice President for Norway Stuart Fitzgerald said: "The collective effort, and strong cooperation, between Ulstein, Eidesvik and Subsea 7, has resulted in the Seven Viking.  The Seven Viking represents another class leading asset in the Subsea 7 fleet and captures Subsea 7's unparalleled experience with IMR operations in harsh environments. The design and build of this state of the art vessel would not have been possible without the expertise and dedication of many people within both Subsea 7 and our project partners, and we take pride in their achievement. We look forward to many years of safe and efficient operations with Seven Viking for our Customer, Statoil."

Jan Fredrik Meling, CEO Eidesvik Offshore said, "We in Eidesvik are very satisfied with the close and constructive cooperation with Subsea 7. The relationship between our companies has developed over many years and has enabled us, together with Ulstein, to launch this outstanding vessel."

Gunvor Ulstein, Ulstein Group CEO, said, "Ulstein is proud to deliver a vessel of unmatched technical and operational capacity in its sector, and I am confident that the Seven Viking will meet Statoil's expectations."