The successful operation was marked at a ceremony at Yantai CIMS Raffles Offshore Ltd, in the presence of guests from China and abroad. At a weight in excess of 18,000 metric tonnes, the lifting operation is one of the heaviest lifts ever undertaken by a conventional crane.
The event is also another important milestone for the Frigstad Group. The Frigstad Kristiansand is the second of two ultra deepwater semisubmersible drilling units being built for Frigstad Deepwater Ltd, and the third rig of the Frigstad D90 design, developed by Frigstad Engineering. The first rig of the Frigstad D90 design was delivered in 2011 and is now operating offshore West Africa.
The two rigs currently under construction are significantly larger than the first rig and the result of further advancement of the rig design and with increased specifications. The Frigstad Kristiansand is scheduled for delivery in Q2 2017, while the Frigstad Shekou is expected to be completed 6 months earlier, in Q4 of 2016. Both rigs are under Frigstad Offshore management.
In his speech addressing the guests at the ceremony, Harald Frigstad commended the yard on the high quality of workmanship seen throughout the rig; a result of continuous improvement since the working relationship between the yard and Frigstad Group started more than 10 years ago and which continues to grow stronger, serving as a great foundation for further collaboration between the companies in the years to come.
