Picture of the Day
It seems that I don't give much time on the website to Far Eastern offshore vessels, at least in part because it is difficult to find out much about them. This one, the Mark K photographed in 2011 at anchor in Singapore Roads - note the really wild building in the background - is now the Allianz Ranger owned by Allianz, an Abu Dhabi company, and according to another site which follows AIS info, it is doing stuff offshore from that state. It seems to be an anchor-handler, but what more can we say?
This is actually the second time I have included this photo on the site. It is a view from the Pilot House of the Sedco 714 as it was being towed into Bressay Sound in the Shetland Islands to anchor and carry out some maintenance. The ships are the Olympic Hercules and the Normand Titan doing the towing, and the Island Vanguard which has the Lerwick pilot on board. I was the tow master. I have included the photo again having learnt that the 714 is on its way to the breakers. These rigs were very popular in their day. They were primitive but very large, and so could carry a lot of deck cargo.
I am prompted to include this photo of the Maersk Assister here, photographed in 2008 when it was about to go to work towing the Rowan Gorilla V out of Dundee, because it was announced the other day that Maersk have sold two of the class as "older units". Many of us will remember when they arrived in Aberdeen, and were stunned by their power and capabilities. At the time I was writing ship reviews for the Offshore Support Journal and was particularly struck by the fact that there were nine decks from deck to bridge - and no lift.