Chinese yard CIMC Raffles has emerged as the front-runner for the provision of a floating production, storage and offloading vessel for Malaysia’s MISC that is destined for Petrobras’ giant Mero field in the Santos basin pre-salt province offshore Brazil.
At least three sources informed that CIMC Raffles in Yantai city, in northern China’s Shandong province, has entered into exclusive discussions with MISC after it offered a very competitive price for the Mero-3 floater, a counter-offer that overturned the bid made by Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Industry in southern China’s Guangdong province.
The Mero3 tender had attracted bids from Huangpu Wenchong yard in alliance with Zhuhai Jutal, China Merchants Heavy Industry, Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry and Bomesc Offshore Engineering with Xingang Shipbuilding Industry.
MISC earlier informed: “The selection of a yard as MISC’s subcontractor for the Mero-3 project is undertaken via a tender process in accordance with MISC’s policies & procedures. We are still in the midst of this process and a decision to award to the successful bidder will be made in due course.”
The work scope covers the delivery of the FPSO including hull and topsides. Sources said MISC has also just completed the tender for the floater’s mooring system.