Wintermar to operate heavy lodge barge for offshore operation

Beginning July, next year, PT Wintermar Offshore Marine Tbk will operate a heavy load barge, a kind of large offshore vessels, in the Indonesian water to support oil and gas exploration and production activities.

The company?s managing director Sugiman Layanto said in Jakarta on Wednesday that the heavy load barge would be able to transport a jack up rig. ?It will the first heavy lodge barge carrying an Indonesian flag,? he added.

Sugiman said that at present the offshore vessels used to transport oil and gas rigs were all owned and operated by foreign shipping companies. However, beginning next year, the operation of foreign offshore vessels will be no longer allowed in line with the implementation of the cabotage principle in the country.

He said Wintermar would operate the heavy lodge barge to support the implementation of the new shipping regulation. Wintermar will set up a joint venture with Lanpan Pte Ltd of Singapore to operate the ship, he added.

Earlier, Wintermar launched the operation of two units of PlatformSupply Vessel (PSV) in the country. The PSVs, the first to carry the national flag, is operated by PT PSV, a joint venture between Wintermar and PT Meratus Lines.

The joint venture company spent up to $51 million to purchase the ships which are now operated by Makasar Straits Explorers Consortium for a three-year contract. (*)