Singapore-based Nortrans Offshore has secured a charter deal with Italian offshore engineering and construction giant Saipem for its maintenance and support vessel, the Temis. The 2015-built flotel will be deployed for the Neptun Deep gas development project in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea. The contract is initially set for 160 days, with an additional option of up to 170 days. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The Temis can accommodate 500 people and will play a critical role during the hook-up and commissioning phase of the Neptun Deep project, providing support for the safe initiation of operations. This follows a similar contract awarded to the vessel by Equinor in November 2024, where it will assist with the Bacalhau FPSO hook-up and commissioning, with an initial term of five months starting in early 2025 and a potential five-month extension.
The Neptun Deep project, which is the largest natural gas development in the Romanian Black Sea and the country’s first deepwater offshore venture, is expected to yield around 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas. The project, jointly owned by OMV Petrom and Romgaz, with each holding a 50% stake, is set to make Romania the largest gas producer in the European Union. OMV Petrom is the operator of the project.
In May 2024, Saipem began construction of the topside facilities for the offshore gas platform at its yard in Karimun, Indonesia, marking a significant step in the development of the Neptun Deep project.
