Energy and maritime consultancy ABL Group has secured a contract with POSH Projects to act as towing master to support and supervise the towing of the FPSO Mero 3 from Yantai, China, to Brazilian waters.
As part of its scope of work, ABL's Singapore operations will provide a tug to act as the customer's representative throughout the 12,108 nautical mile tow.
The Towing Master will supervise and ensure that all marine operations to sail out of Yantai CIMC Raffles Shipyard are carried out in accordance with approved recommendations and procedural documentation.
The FPSO, named Marechal Duque de Caxias, began its journey from China on February 24, 2024, the MISC Group reported on social media.
Once in Brazil, the FPSO will be installed in the Mero field development, 180 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the deep waters of the Santos Basin.
“Towing an FPSO 270 meters long and with a gross tonnage of 150 thousand is a complex procedure. ABL’s extensive maritime experience in all types of maritime operations around the world, in combination with our in-house multidisciplinary engineering competence, makes us the right partner for such a project,” said Phong Chong Hui, ABL country manager in Singapore.
“Our customer representative offering helps ensure safety and quality standards are adhered to during the most complex procedures, mitigating unforeseen risks and costs that impact a project's bottom line,” added Simon Healy, ABL's regional managing director for the Asia-Pacific region.
Built for water depths of approximately 2,070 meters, the FPSO Marechal Duque De Caxias has the capacity to produce 28,600 Sm³/d of oil and 12 million Sm³/d of gas per day.
The FPSO is designed for an operational lifetime of 30 years without the need for dry docking, according to MISC Berhad.
It will be installed in the Mero 3 field, operated by Petrobras, belonging to the Libra Block, as part of the development of the southern portion of the block.
