Penguin Completes its 50th Flex Crewboat for Delivery to FEMCO

Penguin Shipyard International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based Penguin International Limited, today completed its 50th Flex crewboat – a Flex-38SL - for delivery to the FEMCO Group for deployment off Russia’s Sakhalin Island.

The 38-metre, 4050-BHP multi-role offshore crewboat, Christened “Kirrie” today, is based on Penguin’s proprietary Flex design, which was introduced to the offshore industry in 2006. The Flex-38SL has a 100 square metre cargo deck area (versus 80 square metres on the Flex-38S) and carrying capacities for 70 passengers, 55 tons of deck cargo, 72,000 litres of fuel and 30,000 litres of freshwater. It is capable of reaching speeds of up to 27 knots, making it the world’s fastest mid-sized crewboat with mechanical controlled engines. “Kirrie” will be the first Flex crewboat to be deployed in Sakhalin to provide essential transportation and standby services for the Exxon Neftegas-operated Chaivo and Piltun- Astokhskoe oilfields located north-east of Sakhalin Island.

Not only did the vessel have to meet all the stringent requirements of Exxon Neftegas, it was also specially customised to meet FEMCO’s operating requirements. These included the installation of an extensive heating system throughout the vessel, from the engine room through to the passenger compartment up to the bridge; the installation of a Palfinger foldable knuckle-boom crane; as well various other modifications to suit FEMCO’s needs.

Notwithstanding the customisation and modifications, the entire construction process took less than six months to complete, a record unmatched by any other crewboat builder in the world. Commenting on the historic milestone, the Penguin Group’s Managing Director James Tham said, “We are grateful to FEMCO for the opportunity to customise a crewboat to meet their unique operating requirements in Sakhalin, all within an accelerated timeframe. This is what we in Penguin love doing for our clients. That Kirrie happens to be our 50th completed Flex makes this day all the more sweeter for us.”

“Kirrie” is one of more than 20 crewboats to be delivered by the Penguin Group this year. The Flex series of multi-role crewboats - ranging in size from 25 metres to over 50 metres - can be deployed in a myriad of offshore support, security escort or rescue/standby roles.

Penguin wishes to express special thanks to the following companies and individual for their invaluable contributions leading up to the completion of our 50th Flex crewboat (in alphabetical order):

• ABS • AWM Engineering • Beng Hui Marine Electrical • Cummins • Fortuner Marine • Jiang Eng Shipbuilding • Jotun (Singapore) • Liang Long Marine • Little Ferry Agencies • Mencast Marine • Paterson Integrated Engineering • Power Systech • Propulsion Marine Engineering • RIQ • Soon Lian Hardware • Sperre Asia • Yan San Metals