Helix, Volstad Agree Long Term Charters for Construction Support Vessel Duo

Helix Robotics Solutions Limited, the U.K. Robotics division of Helix Energy Solutions Group, and the Norwegian shipowner Volstad Maritime have agreed on five-year charter extensions for both the Grand Canyon II and Grand Canyon III construction support vessels to continue working on projects across multiple energy sectors.

The two vessels have been under long-term charter with Helix since 2015 and 2016, respectively. The extended charter for the Grand Canyon II runs from January 2023 through the end of 2027, while the extended charter for the Grand Canyon III runs from May 2023 through May 2028, with a further option to extend. Financial details were not disclosed. 

Batteries

Under the extensions, Volstad has committed to upgrade both vessels with a new battery hybrid in an effort to reduce fuel consumption and emissions and to improve the environmental footprint of vessel operations.

Scotty Sparks, Helix’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, stated, “Helix is a global leader in subsea robotics and trenching, and we continue to expand our specialty services to support offshore wind farm developments during their pre-construction, construction, and operations phases. We are pleased to extend the charter agreements with Volstad for the Grand Canyon class vessels as we are committed to supporting a responsible energy transition, increasing offshore renewables activity and promoting reduced emissions technology.”

The vessels are designed for operation under severe weather conditions with high maneuverability and superior station keeping capabilities, which enable them to work efficiently and reliably with results consistently reducing downtime during critical operations, Helix said.

Each vessel is equipped with a 250 MT AHC subsea crane, moonpool, integrated ROV deck space and removable bulwarks. With clear deck areas up to 1,650 m² each, the vessels are well suited for subsea construction, Inspection, Repair & Maintenance (IRM) and offshore renewables activities.

In addition, two 3,000m rated 250hp UHD ROVs are mobilized onboard the Grand Canyon II, while two 3,000 m rated 200hp UHD ROVs together with the T1500 jet trenching system and iTrencher are mobilized onboard the Grand Canyon III.