Bourbon Offshore to Manage DRASSM Subsea Research Vessels

Offshore vessel operator Bourbon Offshore Surf has won a tender for the supply and management of the crew and nautical activities of the deep-sea vessels owned by the French Department of Underwater Archaeological Research (DRASSM) Alfred Merlin and André Malraux.

"With the arrival in its fleet in 2021 of the Alfred Merlin, a 46-meter vessel that will carry out overseas missions, the DRASSM wanted to strengthen its presence by relying on a reputed professional of specialized vessels management," Bourbon, which has fifty years of experience in offshore oil and gas operations, said.

"André Malraux and Alfred Merlin are special vessels that share the same specificities as those of Bourbon Offshore Surf (dynamic positioning, acoustics, subsea operations and lifting capacities). The company has a pool of skilled and experienced seafarers that will be essential to this type of operations," Bourbon added.

Yannick Beley, CEO of Bourbon Offshore Surf said: "Congratulations to the Bourbon Offshore Surf teams who have worked hard for several months to win this new contract. We are very pleased to support the DRASSM and hope to establish a long-term partnership with this major player of underwater archaeology. 

"The crisis in the offshore sector has committed us to diversify and offer new services with the same requirement for operational excellence that has made Bourbon a leader in the sector. We are thus deploying our strategy by offering a ship management service on vessels that do not belong to Bourbon. This is a step further in our transition from shipowner to the marine service provider."