North Star Shipping, a division of global shipping and energy services firm – The Craig Group, has announced the award of a major contract with Apache, worth approximately £4.25 million.
The only wholly owned UK company engaged in providing emergency response and rescue, platform supply, tanker-assist and ROV survey vessels has won a two year contract to support Apache’s operations in the Forties Field.
North Star’s five year old purpose-built and designed emergency response and rescue vessel Grampian Defender will go on charter to Apache in January 2009.
This brings the total number of operators with whom North Star has long-term contracts in the North Sea to ten.
North Star managing director, Callum Bruce, said: “We are very pleased to be working with Apache for the first time. North Star currently has 23 long-term charters in the North Sea with our vessels and crew providing front-line emergency response to 42 installations.
“Our £130 million new-build programme underlines our commitment to this vital service in the UKCS and has seen us introduce ten new vessels to the fleet within the last six years and a further six to be delivered over the coming two years. With the most modern ERRV fleet in the North Sea, we are able to ensure our clients of a first-class service with safety our utmost priority.”
With 29 vessels, North Star Shipping is a market-leader with one of the largest and youngest fleets in the North Sea.
Over the years, North Star Shipping has saved more than 70 lives in the North Sea. The Aberdeen-headquartered company was this year awarded the Scottish Offshore Achievement Award for Safety and its eighth consecutive British Safety Council Award.