Nautilus engages Norway's Roll Royce Marine for production of parts of Solware 1 support vessel

NAUTILUS has awarded the order of parts for the company’s Solwara 1 production support vessel to Norway’s Roll Royce Marine.
The order was the first major parts package to be awarded by the shipyard, Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Ltd, and includes the engines and thruster packages.
Last year, Nautilus entered into an agreement with Marine Assets Corporation (MAC) for the charter of a vessel to be first deployed for use at the Solwara 1 Project.
MAC, through a contract with Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Ltd, had to design and construct the vessel in accordance with Nautilus’ specifications.
Nautilus chief executive Mike Johnston said the company was excited to see the first order being placed for this high specification machinery to be used for the completion of its first vessel.
The vessel would first serve as the operational base to extract and to transport high grade copper and gold material from the project site in the Bismarck Sea.
When completed, the vessel will measure 227m in length and 40m in width with accommodation for up to 180 people.
All of the below deck mining equipment would be installed in the vessel during the build process to minimise the equipment integration to be completed following delivery of the vessel to the project site.
The vessel is expected to be delivered by the end of 2017.