After a five month journey from Singapore via the Canary Islands, Diamond Offshore’s Ocean GreatWhite has arrived at Kishorn.
The Ocean GreatWhite, the largest semi-submersible drilling rig in the world, will stay at anchor at Kishorn for the next couple of months as she prepares for her first drilling contract off Shetland.
Kishorn Port Ltd, are the owners and operator of Kishorn Port and dry dock, which will be used as a supply base with Ferguson Transport and Shipping assisting with port and marine services.
Alasdair Ferguson, a Director of KPL commented “This is a landmark day for KPL and we look forward to establishing Kishorn as a port and dry dock of choice for the oil and gas and offshore renewables sectors”
The semi-submersible made its way from Singapore, via Las Palmas in the Canaries over the last five months assisted by the oceangoing offshore supply vessel Alp Defender.
Ocean GreatWhite is a Moss Maritime CS-60E ultra-deepwater harsh-environment semi-submersible built by Hyundai Heavy Industries at Ulsan Shipyard, South Korea. The rig was delivered to Diamond Offshore in July 2016
Located on the north west coast of Scotland Kishorn Port and Dry Dock is a fabrication yard at Loch Kishorn for oil platforms and other offshore facilities, with an associated port and dry-dock facility. It is currently jointly owned by two companies, Ferguson Transport and Leiths. The yard was recently refurbished to make it ready for new work. Simon Russell, director at Kishorn Port, said: “We’ve been working for 10 years on the regeneration of the port, and this is like the sleeping giant awakening.
“It’s an exciting time for the area, and hopefully this work will lead to further contracts, and local employment.” (Source and image: Kishorn Port)