French owner SeaOwl Group has emerged as the buyer of two laid-up North Sea anchor-handlers.
Seabrokers said Viking Supply Ships offloaded the 182-bp Odin Viking (built 2003) to the company. VesselsValue rates the unit as worth $1.22m.
The MOSS 424 vessel is to be renamed as the Sapeur.
SeaOwl has also been confirmed as the recent buyer of the 205-bp Far Saltire (built 2002, renamed VN Pionnier) from Solstad Offshore.
They will work for the French navy as training support vessels based in the ports of Brest and Toulon.
The vessels are more modern replacements for Bourbon's 64-bp Ailette (built 1982) and its own 150-bp VN Sapeur (built 1985, ex Normand Jarl).
$1 option
In August, Viking bought back the laid-up Odin Viking for $1 from its largest shareholder Christen Sveaas so that the vessel could be sold.
The company's restructuring agreement, which was approved by creditors in January 2018, included a call option to re-acquire the vessel.
The price tag was in addition to paying termination compensation, consisting of accrued and remaining bareboat charter hire.
Odin Viking was earmarked for sale to external buyers in August 2018 and would have incurred an $18m impairment loss if the transaction had been completed.
In September, Solstad Offshore sold Far Saltire after it had been in layup for over three years.
Last month, Viking teamed up with funds managed by Borealis Maritime to buy two dual-fuel resale platform supply vessels (PSVs) being built by Remontowa Shipbuilding in Poland. Viking will manage the ships.
The PSVs were cancelled by Siem Offshore and are due in the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021.
The price has been estimated at €22m ($24.5m) each.
