More platform supply vessels (PSVs) have been laid up in North Sea ports this month as the already suffering sector reels from the pandemic and the oil price war.
With demand hit, owners are deciding to take vessels out of the spot market, brokers report.
There are now 41 PSVs in layup in Norway and the UK.
US owner Tidewater's 3,100-dwt Highland Princess (built 2014) joined the list of inactive ships in Sunderland on 9 April, according to broker Westshore.
The 4,000-dwt Solstad Offshore sisters Normand Carrier and Normand Titus (both built 2010) were stacked in Husoye and Fedafjorden on 7 April.
And the Simon Mokster Shipping duo Stril Mermaid (4,000 dwt, built 2010) and the 4,500-dwt Stril Myster (built 2003) were laid up on 1 April and 13 April in Stavanger respectively.
Finally, the 4,000-dwt Troms Mira (built 2015), managed by Troms Offshore, was stacked in Sunderland on 9 April.
Sverre Farstad and Hoyland ships stacked
This follows the stacking of Sverre Farstad's 4,100-dwt Farland (built 2015) on 31 March in Alesund, Norway, and Hoyland Offshore's 4,600-dwt Sartor (built 1994) stacked in Sagvag on 2 April.
Sartor was formerly owned by India's bankrupt GOL Offshore.
It was brought out of layup in 2018 after having been stacked for 688 days.
Some vessels are still laid up from 2015.
A total of 30 anchor-handling tug supply (AHTS) units are in layup, but no new stacking has yet been reported.
PSV utilisation is running at 55% in the North Sea spot market, with plenty of ships in port looking for work.
Rates at rock-bottom
Rock-bottom rates are as low as £3,250 ($4,000) per day.
The Fletcher Shipping-managed 3,900-dwt Standard Olympus (built 2014) was booked by Peterson in the UK at this level, brokers said.
There are 39 working PSVs in the UK, and 26 in Norway.
Norwegian broker Seabrokers said earlier this month: "The unprecedented impact of the coronavirus has already started to have a dramatic effect on the spot PSV market in the North Sea.
"With oil companies striving to reduce costs and trying to minimise the risk of their employees being exposed to Covid-19, there has been an immediate slowdown in PSV demand on the spot market."
The trend over the last year has been for reactivation of ships backed by term work or for conversion for operations in other sectors.
"Some owners are assessing whether to reduce their spot market exposure by laying up tonnage," Seabrokers added.
"One thing is for sure: it would take a brave owner to commit to the costs of a five-year survey for any vessel whose class certificate is due to expire without a contract in place."
