Key points
- The PSV will be chartered by Nautilus and its PNG partner, Eda Kopa (Solwara) Ltd., from Marine Assets Corp.
- The shipyard has released 90 of 305 total blocks for steel cutting, with assembly begun on 21 blocks and over 10 per cent of total steel cut, including eight full blocks.
- Chairman Geoff Loudon said Nautilus expects to take delivery of the vessel in December 2017.
- Sea floor operations at the Solwara 1 project in the Bismarck Sea of Papua New Guinea are planned to commence in Q1 2018.
Nautilus Minerals Inc.’s board members were in attendance at the shipyard of Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Ltd. to see the progress that has been made on its production support vessel. The PSV is to be chartered by Nautilus and its PNG partner, Eda Kopa (Solwara) Ltd., from Marine Assets Corp. It will serve as the base for its sea floor operations planned at the Solwara 1 project in the Bismarck Sea of Papua New Guinea.
Geoff Loudon, Nautilus’s chairman, commented: “It is very rewarding for me and my fellow board members to be here today to meet the shipbuilders and see the impressive construction progress being made on the PSV. The shipyard 3-D modelling for production drawings continues, with the yard having already released 90 blocks (out of total 305) for steel cutting, and assembly has commenced on 21 blocks. To date over 10 per cent of the total steel cut has been completed, which includes the cutting of eight full blocks. This is amazing work that has been achieved, and I look forward to December, 2017, when we expect to take delivery of the vessel to enable us to commence our sea floor operations in Q1 2018.”
