O TTO M ARINE L IMITED - Microsoft Internet Explorer - SGX

With many oil and gas fields maturing, oil and gas companies are moving into deeper seas for oil and gas
exploration. As a result, a new class of ships is essentially required for deep-water work and the tendency is
towards vessels with more horsepower and higher bollard pull.
From the Global AHTS Fleet Age Profile in Graph 5 below, it can be determined that the overall average
age of the fleet at January 2008 was 20.5 years. Even though there are a significant number of new building
vessels due to enter service over the next few years, the projected average age of the overall worldwide fleet
in 2011 is only reduced to 19.7 years (presuming little or no scrapping). The consequence of this relatively
mature fleet has instigated shipowners in the market place to invest in new next generation tonnage for fleet
replacement.
Number of vessels built in given year
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1963
1965
1967
1969
1971
1973
1975
Graph 5: Global AHTS Fleet Age Profile
1977
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
Year Built
From Graph 6 below, we can see the breakdown of the total AHTS vessels existing fleet and on order. By
comparing the 2008 - 2011 orderbook against the current fleet, we can make the following points:
5,000 - 7,999 BHP fleet will increase by about 35%
8,000 - 9,999 BHP fleet will increase by about 23%
10,000 - 13,999 BHP fleet will increase by about 59%
�14,000 BHP fleet will increase by about 90%
These figures support the fact that since their inception, AHTS vessels have had to grow in both power
and size as the rigs they support have gotten bigger and the Semisubmersibles in particular have increased
their capabilities to work in ever increasing water depths with resultant bigger mooring spreads requiring the
supporting anchor handling vessels to have larger and more powerful engines and anchor handling/towing
winches.
85
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Total Fleet Size