APRIL 23, 2013 — Vard reports that it has entered into a Letter of Intent with Stavanger, Norway, based Simon Møkster Shipping for the design and construction of a platform supply vessel of its PSV 06 LNG design. The shipbuilding contract for the design and construction of the vessel is expected to be entered into within a few weeks.

Simon Møkster Shipping has been awarded a charter contract by oil major Eni Norge for the operation of the vessel, which is scheduled for delivery in  first quarter 2015 from Vard in Norway. The hull will be delivered from Vard's shipyard in Romania.

The PSV 06 LNG is a new design developed by Vard Design. The vessel will be a Clean Design environmentally friendly dual-fuel LNG / diesel-electric ship with focus on low fuel consumption and low emissions of greenhouse gases. The vessel will be approximately 94 meters long and 20 meters wide, and is designed to meet the requirements for support to the Goliat oil and gas field in the Barents Sea.

In addition to regular PSV duties, the vessel is equipped for emergency operations like rescue, emergency towing, firefighting and oil recovery. At the stern of the vessel, a hangar will be fitted to accommodate an emergency towing winch, NOFO oil recovery equipment and a slipway for launch and recovery of the rescue crafts.