Director General of Sistan and Baluchestan Ports and Maritime: Chabahar Port has the capacity to discharge 12,000 tons of goods and 2,000 tons of staples per day.

Behrouz Aghaee stated that given the high capacity of importing a share of the essential commodities of the country through the largest oceanic port of Iran, several follow-up meeting have been held to arrange the import of staple needed by the eastern provinces through this General Office and Chabahar port.

By holding numerous meetings and visiting of government officials, the Ministry of Commerce instructed two large state-owned companies to transfer 50% of their importehttps://freightcomms.com/files/d goods through the chabahar port; and since October this year we have witnessed the arrival of staple cargo ships at the port.

Aghaee added: Due to the proper infrastructure of unloading and loading and in order to prevent the deposition of goods, more than 70% of the unloaded staples have been discharged from the port. Transportation of staples through Chabahar port will reduce the prices and traffic for ships waiting for disembarkation in other southern ports of the country.

Aghaee added that Phase 2 of the Shahid Beheshti Port Development Plan is underway. Furthermore 30 pieces Strategic equipment including 9 offshore cranes, 13 pieces loading and unloading equipment have been assembled and operationalized in Chabahar port.

Solstad Offshore ASA has entered into a contract with Woodside for the provision of six vessels, of which two are Anchor Handlers and four are Platform Supply Vessels, to provide marine services for several offshore drilling campaigns in Australian waters commencing in December 2019.

Normand Saracen, Far Senator, Normand Leader, Normand Skimmer, Normand Swan and Far Seeker will be contracted to Woodside for a combined firm period of 1100 vessel-days, with Woodside having access to a further combined total of 3000 optional vessel-days.

The Normand Leader, a dual fuel powered PSV, will be mobilised from the North Sea to Australia and she will be operated in LNG mode during her charter period on the North West Shelf supporting Woodside’s ‘Green Corridor Initiative.’

These contract awards are unique in scale and volume and are testament to Woodside’s commitment to developing new ways of working to support their Burrup Hub vision.

Solstad CEO Lars Peder Solstad stated, “This is an exciting collaboration that supports both the Woodside and Solstad low emissions strategy, whilst providing a comprehensive vessel package consisting of six high quality vessels from a single Marine Partner. We would like to thank Woodside for this unique opportunity, and we look forward to a safe and efficient campaign”

Preparations have already started for the significant mobilisation campaign required to be completed ahead of offshore commencement later this year.

“We have a very busy preparatory period ahead of us in the coming months which has already kicked off in earnest. Mobilising six vessels for a single campaign is something a vessel operator is rarely required to do, so our main focus is that we plan diligently and execute safely,” said Managing Director for Solstad Offshore Asia Pacific, Keith Soutar.