Twin- jewel from Aker Langsten

Twin – Jewel for more than half billion NOK separates after a ceremonious christening at Aker Langsten. "Bourbon Jade" travels to Africa and "Bourbon Opale" travels to Mexico.

"I have grown up with vessels like these. My daddy always took me to the shipyard on Sundays and told me abut the progress of the vessels". It is very interesting to know things about them," says the sporty godmother Ingrid Margrethe Ulstein. Friday afternoon she christened Bourbon Jade, with champagne on the green sharp hull. Bodil Welsvik did the same to Bourbon Opale.

Operates From Norway
It is Island Offshore VII owned by Groupe Bourbon and the family company Borgstein, which has ordered the two vessels. Bourbon Offshore Norway AS will run them. Bourbon Jade is an installation vessel, which during the building process got a solid crane on deck. Bourbon Opale was nearly finished when the contract for the vessel was changed, and she will now operate as a production vessel in Mexico. Both vessels are from the established UT 745 E. They respectively cost around 260 and 290 million NOK. Managing Director Sigbjorn Akselvoll tells us that the rebuilding has only been a profit for the ship yard. They had the capacity and did not have to lay of any workers. Leader for the project at Aker Langsten has been Magne Håberg.

Satisfied employer
"This is top quality. The shipyard has also been very flexible" says a very pleased General Director Jacques de Chateauvieux from Groupe Bourbon. He admits that a lot has changed from the original contract, but he has only promising words for the motion the yard has worked in. Groupe Bourbon is very expansive and have these days between 28 and 30 vessels under construction. These two vessels are vessel number four and five of the Norwegian- built vessels. In addition to these, two guard vessels are under construction by Myklebust Kleven. "How is the opportunity for building more vessels in Norway?" "We have already a lot of vessels at work in Norwegian yards. Facilitate supply vessels can be build on speculation in the east, but advanced vessels like this are too expensive to build without principal. If we achieve work for advanced vessels, we will build them in Norway. High price on Dollar proportionality to NOK will be of importance". The General Director of Groupe Bourbon says. Morten Ulstein, Daily Manager of Borgstein Investments Company, tell that Bourbon are good owners of Havila. There is also a good co- operation among the owners. Now he and Aker Langstein are waiting for next hull to arrive, and to be fully equipped and finished in August. The vessel is the same type as these with the same owners. The new vessel also has to be fully equipped in express speed. Parts from the vessel are built in Russia; the hind part is built in Romania. The section is being put together in Tomrefjord.

Useful Sea hall
"I am certain that we have saved 10 % of time with the equipment thanks to the sea hall. The sea hall has also had its christening through this two vessels", says Marketing Manager Jan Sporsheim. The hall will give the complete effect when you go ahead to sow the sections together for the next supply vessel. He does not believe that the time is over for hull building in Norway. With rush order like these, and maybe mission from military meaning, it can be an advantage for them to be build under roof in Norway.