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www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 31 • 36 Supply Vessels from the Dayang shipyards in China This large order includes two series of vessels, the con- cepts for which come from a GPA design identical to the design for the 10 units already ordered in December 2005 by Rigdon Marine for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Twenty- six of the 36 vessels ordered are AHTS with 80 tons of bollard pull, and the other 10 are particularly economical PSVs of 1,600 tons deadweight. All 36 AHTS and PSVs ordered are diesel-electric, classed DP2 and FiFi1, and maneuver using two direc- tional thrusters associated with a fixed propeller and two bowthrusters. They have been designed to optimize the transport of various products and can carry 640 cu. m. of liquid mud. Rigdon Marine In 2002, Larry Rigdon, the former Tidewater executive vice president turned heads when he formed Rigdon Marine. Rigdon Marine turned more heads with the announcement of a $125m financing agreement from Bourbon to fund 10 deepwater platform supply vessels, which are now in service. The initial investment, made in compliance with the Jones Act, prefaced Rigdon and Bourbon's collaboration to date. In January, Bourbon announced an additional $9.1m investment in Rigdon Marine. "This stake in the Rigdon Marine group is the natural outcome of four years of collaboration. We have seen that this fast-growing company has rapidly become a prof- itable service provider, duly recognized in the offshore oil marine services sector, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico," de Chateauvieux said. In addition, Rigdon received $170m and new equity capital from American investors to finance 10 more ves- sels to double its fleet. Bollinger Shipyards was tapped to build the 10 platform supply vessels for Rigdon Marine, based on a new GPA 654 Class, designed by Guido Perla & Associates. The design incorporates increased carrying capacity and greater operating efficiency, compared to similar sized ves- sels, while at the same time allowing simplified construc- tion methods to reduce construction cost. The vessels will be diesel-electric and classed ABS +A1+AMS+DP2, USCG Subchapter L and SOLAS. (include engine info here, locate Rigdon quote) Looking ahead and indicating further growth, Rigdon said, we'd like to be in the 30 all modern vessel range to remain an important player in GoM. Ridgon aims to target the new market niche that isn't being covered while maintaining their primary focus of complementing Bourbon vessels. Larry Rigdon, CEO of Rigdon Marine, in 2005 at the delivery ceremony for Iberville, one of the company’s state-of- the-art Platform Supply Vessels. MTR#4 (17-32).qxd 5/15/2006 10:27 AM Page 31
