Kishorn farewell to Voyageur Spirit as monster FPSO vessel heads for Dubai
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A ROSS-SHIRE port has bade a fond farewell to a mammoth resident after a near three-year stay which helped maintain local jobs.
Kishorn Port and dry dock has been serving the energy industry since 1975.
KPL is a 50/50 partnership between two family businesses, Ferguson Transport & Shipping and Leith Scotland Ltd.
KPL (Kishorn Port Ltd) directors, port staff and marine logistics, after almost three years, bade farewell to the Voyageur Spirit.
The cylindrical Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which has a length of 70m and a breadth of 65m, was built in 2008 and has a dead weight of 45,145t.
The Voyageur Spirit has been at Kishorn Port and dry dock since July 2020. She was supported by KPL port and marine staff throughout this period.
Alasdair Ferguson, KPL director, said “It has been a great project for the port and the on-site team, once again demonstrating the port's outstanding capabilities and a great testament to our ability to look after all the needs of a warm-stacked vessel, such as the Voyageur Spirit, and providing all the services required.”
The Voyageur Spirit was floated onto the heavy load carrier vessel, Xin Yao Hua, a first for Kishorn Port being the largest vessel believed to have visited the port in its history. The vessel was built in 2022 and has a dead weight of 81,798t and gross tonnage of 72,275t. The whole process was carried out with the co-operation of all stakeholders and the marine team, with meticulous planning and safely delivered on time. The vessel is now onward bound to Dubai.
KPL and its partners at Leith Scotland and Ferguson Transport & Shipping extended "their best wishes and a safe onward journey for the asset and crew".
KPL has secured a number of contracts at the port in recent times with anchorage, maintenance, and marine support of one of the largest semi-submersibles in the world, the Ocean Great White, as well as the layup and supporting marine and port services of Voyager Spirit.
The dry dock is currently hosting one of the largest jack-up rigs in the world, the Noble Intrepid, for inspection, maintenance, and repair.
It also has the Northern Producer anchored at the port, earmarked for recycling in due course.
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At peak activity in recent times, the projects at the port have supported between 350 and 400 jobs, directly or indirectly for all work undertaken.
