Seabed Supporter naming ceremony

The naming event took place on a quayside in the centre of Baku with views along the water front  to the impressive flame towers and Crystal hall (where the Eurovision song contest was held in 2012). Following a speech from Ship builders, Fjellstrand, and CEO of Swire Seabed, Arvid Pettersen, the Lady Sponsor, Mrs Sevda Mammadova, gave a blessing in both Azeri and English before the traditional champagne breaking ceremony took place.

Sevda was then taken on a tour of the vessel by Captain Catalin Trandafir and Captain Fariz Babayev. Guests were also taken on a tour of the vessel and had a chance to meet the crew before being served refreshments and cake in the mess room. Following the tour, dinner was served at a waterfront venue where following a speech by Marine Services Director, Rupert Bray, mementos to mark the occasion where exchanged.

Bringing Seabed Supporter to the Caspian has been a huge logistical challenge. She was partially constructed in Norway, and then towed in pieces to the Caspian along the Volga, the Don and the Volga- Don canal, passing through St Petersburg on the way.

Seabed Supporter is equipped with two state of the art ROVs that will be manned and maintained by Swire Seabed’s crew, an 80T crane, and a diving spread that will be completed later this year. She will be BP’s lead Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR) vessel in the region for years to come.The delivery of a cutting edge IMR vessel to the Caspian is an exciting opportunity to show what Swire Seabed’s crew are capable of in a new region where there are no similar vessels. Her naming ceremony is an important milestone for the team in Baku, and we look forward to her starting her first operation very soon.

(From left to right) : Rupert Bray (Marine Services Director), Captain Fariz Babayev, Captain Catalin Trandafir, Lady Sponsor Sevda Mammadova, Arvid Petterson (CEO), Olav Arne Drønen (Country Manager, Azerbaijan)