ASIA-PACIFIC

摘要

The time between Christmas and Chinese New Year is often a quiet period, when many Asia-based companies prefer to get the lunar celebrations out of the way before making any large commitments. This year, Chinese New Year will be celebrated in early February, so January has seen many Asian vessel owners exercising patience. While availability lists lengthen, charter managers are being kept busy with numerous market surveys from potential customers who are trying to plan their year's work schedules and project budgets. However, while the planning in Southeast Asia is for the post-Northwest Monsoon period, a record number of owners have found lucrative opportunities in Myanmar in this early part of the year. PTTEP, Total and Petronas Carigali have either new projects or IRM programmes ongoing in Myanmar, and the large contractors like Hyundai, Nippon Steel and Swiber have all absorbed some available tonnage from Singapore. With increased development and exploration, Myanmar is rapidly becoming a focus area for owners that a few years ago paid little attention to the few operators exploring or producing. However, as this new territory develops, it has not come without problems as diving contractor Hallin found out in January. Unfortunately the Hallin Penrith - an 8,000 bhp AHTS - reportedly hit an uncharted rock while completing an ROV support project on the PTTEP-operated Zawtika Field, and was sunk. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.