2009 | VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 3

2009 | volume 2 | I S S UE 3

T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L B U S I N E S S M A G A Z I N E F O R P R O F E S S I O N A L S I N T H E O F F S H O R E I N D U S T R Y
C O N S T R U C T I O N & F A B R I C AT I O N
Well Enhancer
VERSATILE ASSET FOR HELIX

Pipe Pulling
PIPELINE SHORE APPROACHES

Sakhalin II
OFFSHORE-INDUSTRY.EU

RUSSIAN ENERGY ONSTREAM

Underwater Repairs
ACCOMPLISHING THE IMPOSSIBLE
MAINTENANCE & REPAIR

Building the Future

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Keppel Verolme
One of the key assets of the Keppel Verolme yard in Rotterdam is its number 7 dry-dock.

Originally designed for the maintenance of Very Large Crude Oil Carriers (VLCCs), today

the 1970-built mammoth dock is used for dry-docking large offshore units and vessels.

5 4 | Off s h o r e I n d u s t r y | Vo lum e 2 | Issue 3

D ock number 7 measures 405 m in length
and 90 m in width and up to three
offshore units can be docked in it
simultaneously. The possibility to place an
intermediate wall in this large dry-dock gives
Keppel Verolme the flexibility to undertake long
and short term projects in the same dock. For
the first two quarters of 2009, dock number 7
was occupied by the MSV Regalia, the self-
elevating jack-up platform Seafox 1 and the
semi-submersible accommodation rig Port
Reval.
Major Refurbishment
The semi-submersible multi-service vessel
Regalia, owned by Profsafe Rigs Pte. Ltd
entered dock number 7 in December 2008 for
a major upgrade. The scope of work not only
enhanced the vessel’s facilities as an
accommodation rig, but also extended the
structural lifetime of the Regalia. The refit
included partial removal and replacement of
accommodation with new bespoke
accommodation outfitted by Hertel Holland.
The new accommodation is state-of-the-art
with single occupancy cabins, all with en suite
facilities and NORSOK compliant.
All six main engines and generators are
removed and replaced with new Wärtsilä F30
units. The upgrade of the engines is expected
to reduce NOx emissions by 40 to 50% and
will lead to a general reduction in the
consumption of fuel and lubricants. All six
thrusters have been overhauled and the DP and
power management systems have been
upgraded. Furthermore, all the pontoons,
columns and bracing, including under deck,
box girder and deck, have been blasted and
painted. While at dry-dock, the five year special
periodical survey has been performed including
the renewal of all main class and flag
certificates.
The MSV Regalia is scheduled to be completed
in the second quarter of 2009 after which the
vessel is contracted to BP on the Valhall project
in the North Sea, where she will provide first
class accommodation and recreation facilities
that will assist BP in their project.
Seafox 1
In January, the MSV Regalia got company in
dock number 7 from the self-elevating jack-up
Year of Recognition
2008 was a year of recognition for Keppel
Verolme as they won two prestigious
awards. The Dutch yard was one of the
winners of the Deloitte competition
‘Building the Best’, recognizing the fifty
best managed companies in the
Netherlands. The jury praised Keppel
Verolme for its financial management,
talent management and the application of
technology. Later that year, Keppel
Verolme was conferred the Golden Gazelle
Award 2008 by ‘Financiële Dagblad’ (FD),
a renowned Dutch financial newspaper, in
the category of large companies with
turnover of EUR 30 million or more. The
award recognizes Keppel Verolme as the
fastest growing company in the province
of South Holland. Mr Jan Franssen,
Commissioner of the Queen in the
province of South Holland, presented the
award to Mr Harold Linssen, Managing
Director of Keppel Verolme on 20
November 2008 in The Hague. Mr Linssen
proudly commented: “This is an excellent
result. We have improved our second place
from last year to achieve top honours. Our
robust turnover increase over three years is
a ratification of the enormous commitment
and professionalism of our people.”
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Offshore Industr y | Vo l u me 2 | I s s u e 3 | 5 5
MAINTENANCE & REPAIR
platform Seafox 1, owned by Workfox B.V. The
scope of work included the maintenance and
repair of the legs, as well as the leg guide
arrangement. The legs were removed from the
unit and placed in a horizontal position on the
dry-dock floor. Lifting and replacement of the
legs was carried out by means of a tandem
lifting operation by a mobile crane and one of
the yard’s dockside cranes. Other works that
were carried out included the installation of
additional power generation and two new fully
enclosed lifeboats. Furthermore, the existing
accommodation has been completely
refurbished and a 300t heavy lift pedestal crane
has been installed.
Port Reval
The Port Reval, managed by the Norwegian
company OSM Offshore AS, is an Aker H-3
(enhanced) semi-submersible accommodation
rig. She was built in 1976 as a drilling rig and
converted into an accommodation rig  in 2004.
The rig arrived at the Keppel Verolme yard in
early May. Approximately one week after her
arrival, she was dry-docked in the mammoth
dry-dock number 7 for general class renewal
surveys, including all inspections, overhauls
and repairs .The activities also include
upgrading works of electrical switchboards,
piping systems, overhaul of (marine)
equipment, deck crane reinforcement  and
5 6 | Off s h o r e I n d u s t r y | Vo lum e 2 | Issue 3
overhaul of main gangway. Furthermore the
yard carries out a complete paint programme.
Strong History
The history of the Keppel Verolme yard dates
back to 1954 when the yard was established by
the Dutch shipbuilder Cornelis Verolme. On
27 June 1957, the ‘Verolme Dok en
Scheepsbouwmaatschappij’ (VDSM) yard
officially opened. The same day, on the brand-
new slipway, the keel was laid of the first vessel,
a tanker of 33,000 dwt. In just a few years, the
flourishing yard was providing work for
hundreds of people. Verolme has built
numerous vessels of different types, such as
VLCCs, large crude tankers, bitumen tankers,
LPG carriers, bulk carriers, general cargo vessels
and a number of other special ships.
Competition from the Far East caused the
newbuilding division of Verolme to close its
doors in 1980, after which the yard continued
under the name Verolme Botlek as a repair yard
for the shipping and offshore industries.
Offshore Market
In the 1970s, when the offshore sector was
developing rapidly in the North Sea, the yard
saw more and more work coming from this
industry. Since 1975, all types of modifications,
upgrading, conversions and (damage)repairs
have been carried out. Besides a range of

mobile drilling rigs, other special units
came to the yard, such as pipe lay vessels,
crane vessels and seismic survey ships. Most
of the projects comprised maintenance,
conversion, modification, upgrading and
lifetime enhancement. In 2002, through
Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd., Keppel
FELS of Singapore became sole owner of
Verolme Botlek. The Verolme yard became
part of a worldwide network of prominent
offshore, ship repair and new building
yards. This also led to the yard’s name
change to the name it is currently known
by: Keppel Verolme B.V.
Large Conversion Projects
Over the years, Keppel Verolme has
delivered some impressive conversions.
Among the largest conversion projects
carried out at the yard was the conversion
of the semi-submersible crane vessel Balder,
into a multipurpose deepwater construction
vessel in 2001. This massive project was
headed by Keppel Verolme project
manager Harold Linssen, the current
Managing Director of the yard.
A more recent project was the conversion
of the bulk carrier Geeview into the
pipelayer Audacia for Allseas. For this
project, which was performed in 2006 and
2007, an integrated Allseas/Keppel Verolme
project team was assembled, headed by a
project manager from Allseas.
Bright Future
With an ideal location of the yard, excellent
facilities, highly-skilled and dedicated
workforce as well as integrating the
experience and expertise of Keppel
Offshore & Marine Group, Keppel Verolme
will continue to offer its clients innovative
and cost-effective solutions so as to stay
ahead. It is not without reason that the
management of Keppel Verolme is
confidently looking forward to a bright
future.
i. www.keppelverolme.nl
MAINTENANCE & REPAIR
Excellent Start of 2009
The first six months of 2009 proved
to be a busy period for Keppel
Verolme. Next to the MSV Regalia,
the Seafox 1 and the Port Reval,
Keppel Verolme welcomed numerous
other projects.
Maersk Resolve
Mid March the jack-up rig Maersk
Resolve arrived at the yard. She has
been built by Keppel FELS in
Singapore and delivered to her
owners Maersk Drilling in January
2009, right before her transport to
Rotterdam on board heavy transport
vessel Triumph. This high efficiency
jack-up rig is the third or four jack-up rigs to be delivered to Maersk Drilling. The series of
rigs have a maximum operating depth of 106 m and are suitable for drilling deep, high
temperature/high pressure wells of 9,145 m. The Maersk Resolve stayed at Rotterdam for a
few weeks for final preparations before serving her first two-year contract for Maersk Oil
and Gas in the North Sea.
GSF Monarch
The GSF Monarch, a jack-up drilling rig from Transocean, visited the yard for a fifty day
maintenance programme and leg repair. The rig dry-docked for spudcan inspection and a
hull painting programme.
Hermod
The impressive crane vessel Hermod, owned by Heerema Marine Contractors, arrived at
the yard in early January this year for maintenance work and renewal of steel for her
columns. About 150t of steel was renewed and the giant vessel left the yard on schedule in
March to continue on projects in North West Europe.
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