Por Onde Anda? Thor II / Oceanicasub XIII
Automatically generated translation; may contain errors.
After approximately 18 months working for Petrobras, Oceanicasub XIII lost its next contract before operations even began.
On May 19, 2026, Petrobras terminated the vessel’s new charter and service agreements, citing contractual provisions related to mobilisation deadlines. Oceânica contested the decision and the proposed contractual penalty.
The vessel had worked for Petrobras long before joining Oceânica.
Delivered by Ulstein Verft in January 2002 as Olympic Hercules, the 82.1-metre AHTS was the first vessel based on Ulstein’s A101 design. It completed 44 jobs in its first year, including anchor handling, towing and subsea operations in the North Sea.
In April 2007, it took part in an anchor-handling campaign west of Shetland during which Bourbon Dolphin capsized. Eight people died in the accident. An official Norwegian investigation documented Olympic Hercules’ participation in the campaign and subsequent response operations.
A 2012 Brazilian federal notice also identifies Olympic Hercules in Petrobras charter and service contracts, with a recorded end date of April 2013.
In 2015, the vessel returned to Ulstein for maintenance. In July 2016, while berthed in Takoradi, Ghana, a robber armed with knives boarded and stole ship property before fleeing, according to the IMO.
Following the restructuring of Olympic Shipping in 2017, the vessel was sold in November 2021 after approximately five years in lay-up. Renamed Thor II, it rejoined the North Sea spot market in January 2022, according to Seabrokers.
Oceânica acquired Thor II in September 2023 for US$11.9 million, incorporating it into its fleet as Oceanicasub XIII. Kongsberg subsequently announced winch and propulsion upgrades designed to meet Petrobras tender requirements.
In August 2024, SUB XIII entered Petrobras hull-inspection operations, remaining on that assignment until January 2026. Oceânica also listed a separate AHTS Thor II contract among its 2024 Petrobras awards.
The vessel then began mobilisation for that day-rate assignment.
That was the contract terminated in May, before operations began.
In its August 2026 results, Oceânica reported that SUB XIII remained operational and available. Redeployment under the extended hull-inspection contract was among the options being evaluated.
Three names, more than two decades in the offshore industry and multiple Petrobras contracts. The latest one ended at the mobilisation stage.
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This article was produced by Westhon Media for One Energy News.