Por Onde Anda? CBO Wiser
Automatically generated translation; may contain errors.
Por Onde Anda? CBO Wiser (ex-Sea Hornbill)
OceanPact has agreed to sell CBO Wiser for US$43 million. The unusual part? CBO intends to keep operating it.
On November 2, OceanPact subsidiaries signed agreements to sell CBO Wiser and CBO Energy to an undisclosed foreign offshore support group for US$86 million combined.
But Wiser comes with a condition: the vessel must be chartered back to CBO on a bareboat basis for the remaining period of its existing client contract.
In other words, a new owner, but the same operator and customer.
The vessel’s story began in China.
Originally named Sea Hornbill, the 89-metre DP2 PSV was delivered by Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding in January 2022. It has approximately 4,900 tonnes of capacity and 1,000 m² of deck space.
CBO announced its acquisition in February 2022, becoming the vessel’s first operator and expanding its fleet to 44 units.
Two months later, CBO secured a contract with Equinor Brasil, initially for three years with two one-year extension options.
Then came a significant technical development.
In September 2022, CBO and Wärtsilä announced a decarbonisation agreement, including a hybrid battery system for Wiser.
Completed in 2024 with Equinor’s participation, the project made CBO Wiser the first offshore vessel to receive this type of battery installation in Brazil.
It was not Brazil’s first hybrid PSV. Delta Commander had already entered service in December 2023, also supporting Equinor.
The technology combines diesel generation with battery power. Equinor projected CO₂ emissions reductions of up to 30%, although that figure was an estimate rather than a measured operational result.
In September 2026, OceanPact completed its business combination with CBO, creating an integrated group with approximately 70 vessels.
Less than two months later, Wiser was back in the headlines.
Under the November sale agreements, 10% of the US$86 million purchase price is due as a deposit within ten business days, with closing expected by December 18, subject to approvals and contractual conditions.
For Wiser, the buyer must also obtain consent from its existing charter client. The planned bareboat arrangement would allow CBO to continue operating the vessel without changes to the client’s contractual terms.
Four years after delivery and two years after its pioneering hybrid conversion, CBO Wiser is preparing for another ownership change.
The buyer gets the vessel. CBO keeps the job.
From vessel specifications to contract history and market movements, follow CBO Wiser and the offshore fleet through WSB-One:
https://wsb-one.com
This article was produced by Westhon Media for One Energy News.