Drydocks World Dubai today announced the completion of construction and transportation of the world's largest semi-submersible drilling rig hull.

The Alpha Aker Spitsbergen hull has sailed from Dubai to the Aker Kvaerner Stord yard in Norway.

Mark Biggs, director – New Building Division, said: “This is a significant milestone in our long list of achievements. Innovation permeates everything we do and the technology we are providing to our worldwide customers is sufficiently mature. We constructed the hull according to plans, and on time. We continue to leverage on the hard work and solid foundation that Drydocks World has developed globally, and we are very satisfied that the hull not only meets with the international standards, but is the first to meet them anywhere in the world.”

Drydocks World Dubai is a part of Dubai World.

“Our strategic objective continues to concentrate on high impact world class projects allowing growing production. This is a result of a very good team work and coordination, there is still another hull being built to the same standards and hopefully it will be just as good,” Biggs said.

Manufacturing of the hull started in May 2006, and it is one of two being built to the highest DNV standards for offshore construction, which require special steel qualities and strict welding requirements, for the complete steel construction.

Alpha was sent off by sea on a 45 days voyage through the Suez channel to finally arrive to Aker Kvaerner Stord yard on the west coast of Norway, for installation of deck structure with drilling equipment, accommodation and final commissioning.

The contract with Aker Kvaener includes the steel construction of the two hulls up to main deck, installation of piping systems, DP-systems, mud tanks and sophisticated hull and tank coating as well as extensive electric wiring work. Both are H6e variant semi submersible drilling rigs, designed for deep sea drilling in harsh environment and arctic conditions.

The major sections of the rig hulls, pontoons and columns have been built in separate units and assembled with bracings in the Drydocks World - Dubai yards. The dimensions of the finished hull structures are: length 120 m, width 77 m and height 37.5 m.

In total, the hull has a steel weight of 16,300 tonne.  – TradeArabia News Service