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ABS has been selected to class a highly sophisticated pipelay vessel for Saipem being built at the Yantai Raffles Shipyard in China. The vessel will be ice-strengthened and equipped with the highest level of redundant dynamic positioning (DP3). The purpose-built pipelay and subsea construction vessel is expected to be delivered in early 2010 and will be able to operate worldwide, including the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Barents Sea as it will meet harsh environment criteria. 

The vessel will be 290-meters long with a beam of 39 meters and a main deck height of 24 meters. The vessel will be equipped with a 600-metric ton mast crane and two 55-ton pipe handling gantry cranes. On board accommodations will handle 538 persons. 

As offshore field developments are taking place in increasingly deeper waters, the ability of an offshore vessel to remain on-station at location is critical. ABS has extensive knowledge and experience with dynamic positioning systems. Read about ABS' experience with another pipelay vessel Sapura 3000 heavy-lift derrick pipelay vessel.