Hovercraft to transport personnel and cargo at Kashagan
The Caspian Falcon hovercraft began operations in the Northern Caspian, Caspian Offshore Construction informed. "Caspian Falcon will provide year-round services for the transportation of personnel and goods between the islands of the Kashagan oil field on the sea shelf of Kazakhstan, and can also be used on routes connecting sea and coastal facilities,” the CEO of the Caspian Offshore Construction, Timur Sharipiyev, said.
According to him, Caspian Offshore Construction signed a contract with North Caspian Operating Company (NCOC), operator of Kashagan, to mobilise, operate and maintain Caspian Falcon, formerly known as Suna X. In late July, it was reported that North Caspian Operating Company has begun construction of a temporary platform for hovercraft at its base in the port of Bautino (Tupkaragan district, Mangistau region).
According to the NCOC, the hovercraft will be used to service the facilities of the marine complex (production facilities on the artificial islands D, A, EPC2, EPC3, EPC4). The ship, manufactured by Kvichak Marine Industries, was acquired from the Aleutian Islands City Hall of Alaska in early 2018. Later it was taken to the city of Southampton to the Griffon Hoverwork LTD factory, where the modernisation of the vessel was carried out.
Kashagan is the first offshore oil and gas field in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea, as well as the largest international investment project in the country. Commercial production at the field began on November 1, 2016.
Caspian Offshore Construction, founded in 2003, is a provider of services for the operation and management of the sea fleet in the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Offshore Construction own fleet includes about 30 vessels, including icebreaking and ice-class tugs, diving support vessels, research vessels, floating hotels, high-speed passenger vessels, and multifunctional support vessels. Most of the ships were built in the most famous shipyards of Europe.
Reported by ABC TV (Kazakhstan).
