SET-listed Prima Marine, a provider of marine transport as well as crude oil and petroleum product storage, hopes to benefit from the growing oil and gas-related industries in Southeast Asia by adding more vessels to its fleet to serve demand.
The company received a second crew boat last week after acquiring its first in January. The two boats are used to transport personnel, equipment and supplies to and from offshore facilities, such as oil and gas platforms.
The boats will serve increasing demand for oil and gas delivery in Southeast Asia, said Neeracha Panboonhom, executive director of Prima Marine. The company did not disclose the cost of the two boats.
The boats are scheduled to facilitate offshore transport for PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP) and Chevron Corp, the US-based energy company. Both companies carry out work in the Gulf of Thailand.
PTTEP said earlier it is accelerating efforts to install equipment and machines on wellhead platforms in its Erawan gas block to increase gas production to 800 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) in April, up from 400 MMSCFD in January.
Stock analysts believe the two crew boats will help Prima Marine increase its capability to earn more profit in the first quarter this year, supporting oil and gas exploration and production.
The crew boats are the first in Asean to use hydraulic hybrid technology, Ms Neeracha said.
Hydraulic hybrid vehicles use a pressurised fluid power source and a conventional internal combustion engine to save fuel and reduce emissions.
Hydraulic hybrid boats can use 20-30% less fuel and emit less carbon dioxide, which supports Prima Marine's carbon neutrality campaign, she said.
As of December last year, the company operated 60 vessels with a total capacity of 2.7 million deadweight tonnes. Each vessel has been in service for an average of 15 years. The fleet includes tankers and floating storage units.