Using the well-known Tera Block method, the ZPMC shipyard successfully erected a 13,000-ton Tera block aft part of the vessel to the forward part of the vessel. The Tera block measured 107.5 metres in length and features a beam of 49 metres. The next steps in the construction will be the erecting of totally 48 blocks, all remaining outfitting activities and installation of the helideck. At a later stage, the major mission equipment, J-lay tower and system components, deck pipe handling equipment, 5000t main crane and stinger will be installed on board.

The dynamically-positioned ‘JSD 6000’ is a unique, innovative design featuring heavy lift, S-Lay and J-Lay via a large, off-centre moonpool capabilities, allowing her to serve deepwater and SURF markets as well as shallow water EPCI projects. The Ulstein designed vessel features an NOV revolving main crane with 5,000 mt lifting capacity and the double deck configuration that has been a distinctive feature in the Ulstein Design & Solutions BV designs ever since its first application on the Sapura 3000 vessel.

Furthermore, the design combines a 600 mt Remacut S-lay system via a centre firing line below main deck, and a 2,000 mt IHC EB J-lay system via a moonpool. Besides having developed the original JSD6000 design, Ulstein supported ZPMC with engineering modifications and the complex (damage) stability calculations, including class approval.

The JSD 6000 vessel is the third customised version of the ULSTEIN SOC 5000 design after the ‘Seven Borealis’ and ‘Aegir’, which are both in operation.

The “tera-block” method allows a shipyard to assemble a vessel from just two large ship blocks in order to boost their productivity.