Boskalis’ semi-submersible heavy transport vessel Boka Vanguard has covered the 12,500 nautical miles from Singapore to Norway hauling Equinor’s impressive 70,000-ton Johan Castberg FPSO.

Over the past weekend, the vessel arrived in Kvinnherad where the new FPSO it will be floated-off. The 12,500 nautical-mile-long journey that started in mid-February from Sembcorp Marine in Singapore to Kvinnherad took 49 days. Soon the vessel will be towed to Aker Solutions at Stord, who will install topside modules and turret before hook up and completion of the ship.

Sembcorp Marine built the hull and living quarters of the FPSO for Equinor. Johan Castberg is designed to FPSO hull main specifications, including Norsoks and DNV Class Rules, with improved design concept and engineering logic embracing work environment and technical safety requirements, winterisation and other ocean data prerequisites. Johan Castberg, Sembcorp Marine’s first EPC newbuild FPSO, also met the stringent requirements of the Norwegian and PSA (Petroleum Safety Authority) regulatory requirements.

Upon final completion in Norway, the FPSO is scheduled for deployment at the Johan Castberg field in the Barents Sea, about 240 kilometres from Hammerfest, Norway. The FPSO hull is built to be self-contained for harsh-environment operation, with living quarters accommodating up to 140 personnel onboard.