Unfinished Hornbeck MPSV newbuilding arrives at Florida shipyard for completion

The first of two 6,363dwt unfinished ultra-high-spec offshore multi-purpose support vessels (MPSV), built for Louisiana-based Hornbeck Offshore Services, has arrived at US Gulf shipyard Eastern Group Shipbuilding Group’s Port St. Joe shipyard in Florida to be completed. The second vessel will arrive shortly.

Earlier this year, Eastern secured the contract to complete the 400-class MPSVs HOS Wild Horse and HOS Warhorse after Hornbeck terminated the original newbuilding contract for the two sister ships with Gulf Island Shipyards, in Houma, Louisiana, in 2018 over what is described as “performance issues.” The shipyard then sued Hornbeck claiming the contracts were wrongfully terminated.

Both the shipyard and the shipowner settled in October 2023, clearing the way for the two MPSVs to be completed by another shipyard.

Eastern was awarded the contract to complete the sister ships by Zurich American Insurance Co, the issuer of the performance bonds for the vessels’ original newbuilding contracts. Both MPSVs were drydocked in Louisiana prior to being towed to Eastern’s yard in Florida.

“The vessel structure is mostly complete, with the vast majority of the mechanical, electrical and other outfitting work not completed,” said Jessica Ditto, VP Communications at Eastern.

Scheduled for delivery in 2025, the Jones Act-qualified MPSVs will each be fitted with two large heave-compensated deck cranes, two ROVs, a large moonpool and accommodation for 102 persons.

An increase in demand for US oil and gas activity, as well as the emergence of the US offshore wind farm sector, has been driving greater demand for OSVs, especially MPSVs.

Meanwhile, Eastern is currently in the middle of the conversion of Hornbeck’s OSV HOS Rosehill into the dual-service Floatel and service operation vessel (SOV) HOS Rocinante. This vessel will be delivered to Hornbeck in the spring of 2025.