Expanding Ulstein Wins Turkish Design Contract
Norway's Ulstein Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Maritime and Mechanical Technology (MMT), an engineering company that is based in Norway but which owns engineering companies in Croatia and has engineering-oriented partnerships in India.
Meantime, Ulstein Es-Cad, established in December last year by the Ulstein Group and Turkish ship design company Es-Cad, has just landed a significant design contract from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) for the design of a new oceanographic research vessel.
And in October, Ulstein announced a letter of intent that will see it take a majority stake in Netherlands based Sea of Solutions. That deal is due to complete in January and will give Ulstein a broader portfolio in the heavy offshore sector.
The latest acquisition, MMT, employs approximately 20 people and has extensive experience of coordinating Norwegian and foreign engineering groups. It was set up in 2006 by Harald Bigse, who will now join the Ulstein Group.
The new vessel being designed by Ulstein Es-Cad will serve as a versatile platform for oceanographic research, including hydrography and biological, geological and geophysical research. In line with the requirements of TUBITAK, Ulstein Es-Cad has developed the vessel with an overall length of 41.2 m, a beam of 9.6 m and a design speed of 16 knots.
The vessel may be compact, but it will be equipped for sustained operations, with a cruising range of 2,700 nautical miles at 14 knots and accommodation for 14 scientific personnel in addition to a permanent crew of 12. The vessel is arranged with four laboratories, meeting facilities and a 100 sq.m working deck equipped with full crane coverage, twin winches, an aft A-frame and arrangements for ROV operations.
TUBITAK is the leading agency for managing, funding and conducting research in Turkey, with more than 1,500 researchers engaged in basic research and applied research, independently and in public-private partnership. The agency reports to the Prime Minister and is a principal advisor to the Turkish Government on science and research issues.
