Sharjah, U.A.E.
4 February 2010

In July 2007, the COSCOL semi-submersible vessel Tai An Kou safely transported the jack-up rig Ahmed of Millenium Offshore Services (MOS) from Sharjah to Suez. Mid of January 2010, the COSCOL semi-submersible vessel Kang Sheng Kou, the sister vessel of the Tai An Kou, arrived in Suez to transport the Ahmed back to Sharjah.

On the 12th of January the rig was safely loaded onto the vessel by means of the float-on method. Before the vessels departure to Sharjah a 7 day dry-docking period was used by MOS for spudcan inspections onboard the rig. Seafastening of the rig and the voyage preparations onboard the vessel were carried out simultaneously.

Being escorted by the China Navy, the vessel loaded with the rig safely passed through the Gulf of Eden and after a smooth voyage the vessel arrived in Sharjah on the 4th of February.

Due to unfavorable weather conditions discharging of the rig, by means of the float-off method, was delayed until the 10th of February. Once weather conditions improved, the vessel was ballasted to the required discharging draft in about 4 hours, after which the rig was safely discharged and handed over to MOS.

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Offshore Qatar
30 December 2009

Maersk Oil Qatar’s BE Topside, built in Malaysia, was successfully floated over and installed in offshore Qatar by the m/v Kang Sheng Kou. The BE topside was constructed and loaded at the Sime Darby yard in Pasir Gudang in Malaysia.

Offshore Qatar
13 October 2009

The 13th of October saw the successful float-over operation by TAI AN KOU of the Maersk Oil Qatar BG topside for account of Sime Darby Engineering of Malaysia.

The BG topside (9690 tons) was loaded at the Sime Darby yard in Pasir Gudang in Malaysia on 3rd of August, after a 6 hours load-out operation. Seafastening works started immediately afterwards.

Eventually, TAI AN KOU departed Pasir Gudang on 10th of September, due to the jacket not being completed for the float-over operation.

The vessel arrived in Qatar on 26th of September after a 16 day transit. Float-over preparations were performed, as well as DP trials, after which the actual float-over operation was performed in the morning of the 13th of October in under 3 hours.

With this successful float-over, the total of float-over operations performed under DP by TAI AN KOU and her sister vessel KANG SHENG KOU reaches 7.

Freeport, TX U.S.A.
9 October 2009

COSCOL’s semi-submerisble vessel KANG SHENG KOU successfully loaded four Hercules Offshore liftboats.

Umm Shaif Field, Abu Dhabi
6 May 2009

COSCOL’s heavy-lift vessel KANG SHENG KOU successfully loaded, transported and installed by means of float-over operation, the CSP-1 topside for the Umm Shaif Field for account of Hyundai Heavy Industries, and their client, Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company.

The topside was loaded at the Hyundai Heavy Industries yard at Ulsan, Korea on 3rd of April by means of a stern load-out operation, which only took 13.5 hours to pass the total skidding distance onboard the vessel of just over 100 meters. After installing seafastenings and additional installation equipment, the vessel departed from Ulsan on 9th of April to the Umm Shaif Field.

The voyage from Ulsan to Abu Dhabi went smooth and uneventful. Once on location, DP trials were executed, after which the vessel was maneuvered into the jacket on DP. The vessel ballasted down and the topside was set down on the jacket in about 2 hours, utilizing the vessel’s huge ballasting capacity.

After leaving the jacket, the vessel returned to the Hyundai Heavy Industries yard in Ulsan to proceed with the consecutive load-out, transport and float-over installation of the UAP topside, also for the Umm Shaif Field.

Bunga Orkid Field, Malaysia
30 December 2008

COSCOL owned heavy-lift vessel TAI AN KOU successfully loaded, transported and installed by means of float-over operation, the 13,604 tons (incl. support frame) topside for the Bunga Orkid A field for account of Talisman Energy.

Given the large weight with associated CoG position, this project involved extensive engineering, in which various challenges had to be overcome. First of all, in order to meet the relevant stability criteria, 4 stability boxes on deck proved to be necessary (2 on the aft end and 2 on the forward part of the deck). In addition, 2 sponsons were installed underneath the forward stability boxes. With all this in place, the vessel’s loading condition passed all required stability criteria.

The excessive weight of the topside however, resulted in the vessel using it’s assigned tropical loadline (loading, transport and installation all took place in the Tropical Loadline Zone), whereby the amount of bunkers and fresh water on board was limited as well. Furthermore, all non-relevant material on board the vessel (such as cribbing material, seafastenings, guideposts etc, as well as both buoyancy casings) were discharged from the vessel and left behind at the SDE yard.

Finally, the heavy topside weight was introduced to the vessel structure by means of 2 grillages only, which resulted in very high loads in the vessel’s structure. By means of carefully optimizing the topside weight and CoG in combination with last-minute changes to the ballasting plan, the vessel’s crew managed to keep the overall shearforces and bending moments below the limits for seagoing conditions.

The topside was loaded at the Sime Darby Engineering yard at Pasir Gudang, Malaysia on 6th of December by means of a side load-out operation, which only took 4 hours. After installing seafastenings and additional installation equipment, the vessel departed from Pasir Gudang on 27th of December to the Bunga Orkid Field. After a smooth voyage, she arrived at the installation location on the 29th of December.  On location, DP trials were executed, after which the vessel was manoeuvred into the jacket on DP. After cutting seafastenings, the vessel started ballasting down and the topside was set down on top of the jacket in less than 2 hours.

After leaving the jacket, the vessel returned to the Sime Darby yard in Pasir Gudang for deck cleaning and reloading of equipment.

Busan, Korea
7 September 2008

A Dredging package owned by Huta Marine consisting of 3 dredgers and two tugs was sucessfully loaded onto the deck of the Tai An Kou on Sunday.

The Dredging package will be transported to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The transit time is expected to be 21 days.

NMA Maritime & Offshore Contractors handles the commercial management of COSCOL's semi-submersible fleet worldwide with office located in Houston, Texas and Rotterdam.

Guangzhou. China
28 August 2008

On August 28, a steel cutting ceremony for COSCO’s 50000 DWT New Generation Semi-Submersible Vessels, which is invested in by COSCO Shipping Company Limited and will be built by Guangzhou Shipyard International Company Limited and CSSC Guangzhou Shipbuilding Company Limited, was held in Guangzhou. Gao Zhaojie, Vice president of CCS, Weng Jiqiang, DGM of Guangzhou Ocean Shipping Company and the leaders of COSCOL attended the ceremony. 

These purpose-built heavy lift vessels will have a large open deck measuring 177 x 43 meters (582 x 141 feet) capable of transporting the largest semi-submersible and jack-up rigs currently in the market.  The vessels will be highly versatile and can handle a wide range of cargoes such as offshore structures, drilling rigs, topsides, jackets, FPUs, FPSOs, barges and other floating or non-floating structures.

Key Features of COSCO’s 50,000dwt Semi-Submersible Newbuildings: 

1. Superior internal strength capable of stern or side loading.
2. 13 m deck submerging capabilities in order to load large floating structures.
3. Ballasting will be controlled by large capacity compressors which will enable operations to be completed in just over 4 hours. 
4. The propulsion system will be diesel-electric and will provide a service speed of 14 knots. 
5. Easily removable stern buoyancy casings.
6. Double separate redundant propulsion (with Class notation RPS) and ballast systems for increased safety and reliability. 

Technical Specifications of COSCO’s 50,000dwt Semi-Submersible Newbuildings:

1. Length – 216.7 meters (711 feet)
2. Breadth – 43.0 meters (141 feet)
3. Deadweight – 50,000 tons
4. Summer Draught – 9.85 meters (32 feet)
5. Hull Depth – 13 meters (43 feet)
6. Endurance – 18,000 miles

Batam. Indonesia
29 July 2008

McConnell Dowell's Jack Up Barge "SANTA FE" was safely loaded onto the deck of the Tai An Kou on Tuesday.

The "Sante Fe" will be transported to Dampier, Australia with the voyage expected to take only 5 days.

NMA Maritime & Offshore Contractors handles the commercial management of COSCOL's semi-submersible fleet worldwide with office located in Houston, Texas and Rotterdam.