Next Geosolutions Europe, a leading international company in marine geosciences and offshore construction support services, and renowned Norwegian shipyard Green Yard Kleven have signed a collaboration agreement for the conversion of the vessel NG EXPLORER. The vessel will undergo a comprehensive conversion to become a cutting-edge seabed survey platform, capable of performing high-specification geophysical, geotechnical, and environmental surveys worldwide.
The NG EXPLORER is 58 metres long and 14 metres wide, and has got a draft of 4.5 metres, which makes her suitable also for shallow water environments.
Originally built in 2010 as an offshore vessel, she has recently been used in aquaculture but will now be rebuilt for operations in the offshore energy sector, specifically for geophysical, geotechnical, environmental and UXO seabed investigations.
The ship will be equipped with a new accommodation module to increase onboard personnel capacity, as well as meeting rooms, a control room, and offices. She will also be fitted with a launch and recovery system (LARS) for ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles). At the stern, an A-frame and various other deck equipment will be installed. The entire ship will be upgraded to operate also in high-temperature waters.
All equipment and materials removed from the vessel will either be reused in this conversion, repurposed for other projects at the yard, or sold. The goal is to keep waste generation to an absolute minimum. Green Yard Kleven has previously been involved in converting this vessel for another owner and is excited to once again extend the vessel’s lifespan and offer high-quality used equipment to the market. This is a good example of circular economy in practice and highly sustainable.
Green Yard will deliver a complete turn-key project to Next Geosolutions, also including design and engineering, with its internal technical department supported by Nelton Design. The yard will also deliver equipment, new and 2nd hand, as well as coordinate the re-classing process. The vessel is scheduled for delivery by the end of 2025.
“We are convinced that Green Yard’s quality and delivery precision are critical to the success of this project, which is why we chose them as a partner”, commented Attilio Ievoli, President of Next Geosolutions.
“Throughout the contract process, we developed strong trust in Green Yard Kleven and are impressed by the yard and its sustainable operations”, added Michail Drakakis, Technical Fleet Manager at Next Geosolutions.
“We at Green Yard are proud to once again work with an international shipping company that has chosen our yard because of our focus on sustainability. It shows that our business model works”, says CEO of Green Yard Kleven Hans Jørgen Fedog.
“It’s especially exciting to announce such a major commission this week, right in the middle of the Nor-Shipping exhibition in Oslo”, says Karl Johan Barstad, Sales Manager for Retrofit at Green Yard Kleven, “We’re present at the exhibition – which is the most important arena for the maritime industry in Norway – with our own stand, well represented by both our sales and procurement departments”.
