Surplus elderly offshore support vessels are continuing to exit the traditional North Sea oil and gas sector.
Despite much improved rates in recent weeks, there are still too many platform supply vessels in the market, and a total of 45 remain laid up in Norway and the UK.
Owners have been selling vessels into the renewables, aquaculture or charity sectors during the downturn over the last year.
Norway's Seabrokers has reported the laid-up 3,400-dwt Tidewater PSV Highland Citadel (built 2003) sold to undisclosed buyers for work outside the oil and gas market.
VesselsValue assesses the ship as worth $1.6m.
Three years idle
The UT 755L-type PSV has been out of work for three years since concluding its most recent charter in the southern North Sea in the first quarter of 2018.
The Highland Citadel was built at Brattvag Skipsverft, now owned by Vard, in Norway. The 72-metre vessel has a deck area of 680 square metres.
Another PSV that is no longer expected to be competing for oil rig supply work is the 4,200-dwt Wilson Aegean (built 1996).
The 85-metre vessel has been sold by Denmark's Wilson Offshore to a new owner in the aquaculture business.
The ship is said to be worth a little over $1m.
Following the completion of this transaction, the vessel will be relocated from Denmark to Estonia.
Solstad sells Sea Witch
In addition, Norwegian owner Solstad Offshore has sold the 3,300-dwt PSV Sea Witch (built 2008), worth $3m, the company said in a stock exchange filing.
The ship has been renamed Sea W, but no new owner has yet been named.
It is unclear whether the unit will remain in the oil and gas sector.
Solstad also said it has been awarded a long-term contract by Shell Brasil for the 4,000-dwt PSV Normand Starling (built 2013) to support activities in Brazilian waters.
The deal runs for two years to April 2023 in direct continuation of the current contract.
Wagenborg converts new PSV
And Seabrokers reports Dutch owner Wagenborg Offshore adding a third walk-to-work vessel to its active fleet.
The 4,000-dwt Keizersborg (built 2020), previously a PSV, has entered service as a standby and support vessel for the inspection and maintenance of unmanned platforms in the Dutch and British sectors of the southern North Sea.
Previously known as SK Line 728, the Keizersborg was built at Wuhu Shipyard in China.
However, a 16-week stay at Royal Niestern Sander in the Netherlands has seen an extra accommodation module and motion-compensated gangway installed on the 79-metre ship, Seabrokers said.
