Large FRC order in Singapore.

Maritime Partner has won a contract with Yantai Raffles Shipyard in Singapore for supplying fast rescue craft (FRCs) for four newbuildings for BP in the UK.

The order consists of eight MP 741 Springers to be delivered from July 2004 to February 2005. Each vessel will have two craft onboard and will operate as stand-by vessels in the UK sector.

The new multi-role vessels are part of the Project Jigsaw that BP has initiated. It is a new concept in offshore rescue and recovery, and is following three years of in-depth research, stakeholder consultations and equipment trials. It covers the new RSVs (regional support vessels), SAR helicopters, platform based radar(s) and new personal locator beacons.

The vessels will all be ready in the North Sea by end 2005 and the new system put in operation following a phased implementation programme.