Monday 5 March 2018

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has updated the US Gulf of Mexico vessel data associated with its authoritative study ‘Marine Construction Vessel Impacts of Proposed Modifications and Revocations of Jones Act Letters Related to Offshore Oil and Natural Gas Activities” submitted to the US Customs and Border Protection agency in early April of last year. This supplement is part of a tracking exercise and focuses on the US GoM vessels of interest to IMCA’s members.

At the lighter end of the market, several new Coastwise Qualified light construction vessels (LCVs) have entered the market and largely displaced the foreign tonnage. These vessels are quite versatile and can easily interchange between transportation and light construction. This market adjustment is perfectly normal and poses no threat to future investment and development potential of the US GoM.

At the heavier end of the market (Deepwater Pipelaying, Heavy Lifting, and Well Intervention) the picture is unchanged from last year, except for the naturally lower level of seasonal activity. There are no Coastwise qualified vessels in the deepwater pipelaying or heavy lifting markets and only one in the well intervention market. The foreign flagged specialist vessels are not engaged in transportation activities and fill the high-end gap where the coastwise fleet is absent.