Danish owner Hove Offshore has taken two of its platform supply vessels (PSVs) back into its own management from A1 Offshore due to "lack of confidence" in the company, TradeWinds has learned.
The 3,300-dwt PSVs Poseidon Express (built 2004) and Neptun Express (built 2004) will be managed by Maritime Construction Services (MCS) of the Netherlands instead.
"We at Hove Offshore are no longer connected with A1 Offshore," Jon Boesen, Hove's fleet manager, told TradeWinds on Friday.
Boesen claims A1 Offshore failed to pay invoices to vendors and suppliers for the two vessels, which he said put a long-term contract at risk.
Martin Laust Orberg, chief executive of A1 Offshore Solutions, told TradeWinds that Boesen is a former employee who quit his job "in anger" and is "trying to make it difficult" for the company.
Orberg had no further comment to make about the situation or A1 Offshore's cashflow.
Vessel contracts
Both PSVs are being prepared to begin long-term contracts in West Africa, Boesen told TradeWinds.
The pair have been laid up in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, for around three years but are still in good condition, he said.
The Poseidon Express is to commence a two-year charter in Nigerian waters within the next few weeks for a client likely to be Total.
Hove had to take back management of the vessels or it would risk losing the charter, Boesen told TradeWinds by phone from Abidjan on Friday.
"We were hoping that vessel was ready to go or almost ready by the time we got down here, but turns out nothing was done [by A1 Offshore]," he said.
Neptun Express has not been fixed yet, but Hove hopes to fix the vessel to the same client on a contract commencing in October.
"We have been happy with MCS and their team during their vessel visit in Abidjan where we dock," Boesen said.
Hove acquired both PSVs earlier this year, marking the company's first foray into 100% ownership of vessels.
The Poseidon Express and Neptun Express were previously named Antenor and Bourbon Atlantide respectively.
The pair were each acquired for $880,000 in April from Pareto subsidiary 3B Offshore and were owned previously by Bourbon.
At the time, VesselsValue.com estimated the duo's market value at around $1.3m each.
