One of Dof's anchor handlers has won a contract extension from Equinor Energy, while the shipowner works on securing long-term financing.
The Norwegian state energy producer will keep the 35,024-bhp Skandi Vega (built 2008) on hire for another six months, exercising a contract option linked to the framework agreement it signed with Dof in 2018.
"Skandi Vega has served Equinor since 2009 and we are satisfied that the vessel has secured firm work through the coming winter season," Dof's chief executive Mons Aase said.
The extension will employ Skandi Vega until mid-May 2020 and will provide Dof with additional steady income while it works on its long-term financing arrangements.
The Dof group still remains at risk of breaching financial covenants with its lenders, but has started putting a rescue plan together.
In early October, the group revealed a proposed refinancing package that is "likely" to include raising NOK 200m ($21.9m) in new equity, of which a "substantial portion" will be used to rescue Dof Subsea, its 65%-owned subsidiary.
On Wednesday, Dof Subsea proposed a short standstill in its bond payments and said it is "in discussions" to extend the maturity of its bank loans.
The Dof Group had an order backlog worth NOK 20bn and Dof Subsea's order backlog was NOK 13.8bn as of 30 June.
In its second-quarter report, the group said it would continue to focus on reducing its costs and would adjust its capacity in "challenging" markets.
