Norway’s Solstad Offshore is still shrinking its fleet following a huge deal to offload its platform supply vessels (PSVs) to US owner Tidewater.

Earlier this month, the Oslo-listed company agreed to hand over 37 PSVs for $577m as it refocuses on renewables markets.

Solstad has now announced the sale of the 15,953-bhp anchor-handling tug supply (AHTS) ship Far Sabre (built 2008).

The vessel has been in layup since 2019.

Delivery to the unnamed new owner took place on Tuesday, the owner said.

“The sale of the vessel will result in a minor positive accounting effect to be reflected in 1Q 2023,” Solstad said.

The ship is valued at $10.8m by VesselsValue, up from $7m a year ago amid a tightening of offshore vessel supply.

The latest disposal will reduce the fleet to 40 vessels, with five more considered “non-operational” and up for sale.

Solstad said earlier this month that generally higher margins for AHTS units and construction support vessels (CSVs) will allow the group to improve its results and will “put us in a position to, over time, renew our fleet”.

The owner has been selling off non-core vessels following a $2bn debt refinancing in 2020.

No additions since 2014

It has not ordered a newbuilding since 2014 or bought a vessel since 2012, but 12 ships were sold in 2022, and an older PSV last month.

On Tuesday, sale-and-leaseback company Ocean Yield declared an option to end bareboat charters for two AHTS units operated by Solstad: the 21,454-hp Far Senator and 21,457-hp Far Statesman (both built 2013).

These have now been chartered to Viking Supply Ships in Sweden for five years.