The X-bow 3D seismic vessel “Vyacheslav Tikhonov” was officially handed over to Sovcomflot in a ceremony in Sochi on September 16, a press release from the shipping company reads. Sovcomflot has acquired the vessel under a bareboat charter agreement with Polarcus Ltd, one of the world’s leading companies specializing in marine seismic exploration.
The vessel, which was completed in August 2011, is designed for geophysical exploration on the continental shelf of the Arctic and sub-Arctic seas, operating in harsh weather and ice conditions. The ship will be operated jointly by SCF and OAO Sevmorneftegeofizika - one of the leading Russian seismic companies.
Several high-ranking guests gathered at the name-giving ceremony in Sochi on September 16, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Deputy Prime Ministers Sergey Ivanov and Ivan Sechin and Minister of Transport Yury Trutnev.
Immediately after the ceremony “Vyacheslav Tikhonov” started working under contract conducting seismic exploration work for the Tuapse Block in the Black Sea on behalf of Rosneft and ExxonMobil.
Read Also: Rosneft picks ExxonMobil in Arctic deal
X-bow is an inverted ship’s bow designed by Ulstein Group to improve handling in rough sea, and to lower fuel consumption by causing less hydrodynamic drag. It is shaped somewhat like a submarine’s bow, according to Wikipedia.
