The value of building together

There is a moment in every shipbuilding project when a vessel stops being a concept and becomes real.

For Rem Pioneer, that moment definitely came when the hull finally arrived at Myklebust Verft in Gursken.

After months of planning, engineering and construction in Vietnam, the 116,5-metre hull had been transported halfway around the world. It arrived by heavy-lift vessel, was floated off and towed into the fjord before entering the yard's dock.

Suddenly, the scale of the project was impossible to ignore.

"It’s quite massive, when the vessel starts to become reality." says Leiv Sindre Muren, Managing Director of Myklebust Verft.

For the yard, however, the arrival was not the beginning of the project. It was the point at which a project that had already been maturing for more than a year entered its most visible phase.

And that is perhaps one of the most interesting things about Rem Pioneer. The vessel may look like a single ship, but behind it is an extensive network of decisions, relationships, suppliers, engineering work and compromises.

It is a Norwegian project in many respects.

But it is also a project that illustrates why modern Norwegian shipbuilding can no longer be understood simply as building a complete vessel from steel to delivery within the same yard.

The hull was built in Vietnam. The design came from Skipsteknisk. Much of the equipment and technology came from the maritime cluster in Møre & Romsdal.

And Myklebust Verft's role was to bring all of those elements together and turn them into a functioning vessel.

A project that had time to mature

Myklebust became involved with the Rem Pioneer project well before the contract was signed.

Discussions about possible projects and capacity had started as early as 2022, becoming more focused during 2023 as the Skipsteknisk concept gradually emerged as the preferred solution. 

"It’s typical for a project like this that you align gradually once the concept is chosen, and spend more time together before making a few revisions to the specifications and reaching the more contractual terms", says Muren.

The result was a project that was already relatively mature when Myklebust formally took responsibility for construction.

Why Vietnam made sense

Another question is why the hull was built at the Song Cam shipyard in Vietnam?

After all, this is a vessel deeply rooted in the Norwegian maritime cluster. Why build the steelwork thousands of kilometres away and then transport the hull all the way back to Norway?

Muren is clear that the decision was strategic.

"We knew there was a risk attached to distance, culture, and unrest in the Middle East."

But the decision was made on the basis of several factors.

European shipyards were under pressure from limited steel capacity and rising costs. Myklebust needed a solution that offered a realistic combination of price, quality and delivery time.

"When we found a price that was manageable, combined with our ability  in delivering on time, those were two key factors that we relied on."

Myklebust had previous experience of sourcing hulls internationally, including from Poland and Turkey.

The move to Vietnam was therefore not an experiment in isolation, but part of a broader strategy to broaden the geographical options available for steel construction.

"These things are dynamic regarding price inflation," Muren says. "That’s made us choose to broaden our horizons and see that it can give us a good return, not least better access to steel capacity."

The decision has clearly been vindicated from the yard's perspective.

"It is a fine hull. It shows great lines, little distortion and minimal deformation."

A partnership across cultures

Building the hull in Vietnam naturally introduced another challenge.

Culture.

Norwegian and Vietnamese working cultures are different, and that inevitably has to be managed when two companies collaborate on a technically demanding project.

Yet Muren's experience has been overwhelmingly positive.

"There’s a big cultural difference between Norway and Vietnam in certain areas, but what we’ve appreciated is that they take a very long-term approach to how they work."

The Vietnamese yard understood that performance and delivery would determine the future of the relationship.

"They are very focused and know that performance and delivery are what drive long-term sales and good cooperation."

"Cultural differences can play out in various ways, but we have a thoroughly positive impression."

For Myklebust, the experience also adds another layer of knowledge that can be used on future projects.

The hull is only the beginning

When the hull arrived at Myklebust, it was deliberately relatively lightly outfitted.

A significant amount of equipment was installed in Norway rather than sent to Vietnam during the hull construction phase.

There were several reasons for this.

Equipment might not have been available early enough. Sending expensive machinery overseas long before it was needed would tie up capital, and warranty periods could start earlier than necessary.

And, perhaps most importantly, Myklebust could exercise much greater control over valuable equipment once it arrived at the yard.

"It comes down to having good control over it when we bring it here."

That meant the hull arriving in Gursken became a kind of starting point for a second phase of construction. And this is where the project begins to resemble a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Turning a hull into a vessel

Once the contract was signed, Myklebust began finalising agreements with suppliers and building a detailed execution plan.

The interfaces were critical, steel, piping, electrical systems, interior fit-out and equipment.

Each discipline had its own schedule, but all of them had to fit into the same vessel.

"Then it’s a matter of collaborating and finding out if there are any gaps in the interface between our steel, piping, interior fit-out, electrical, and similar work."

The yard also established a construction supervision team in Vietnam, maintaining a presence where the hull was being built while the project organization in Norway prepared for the later stages.

Once the hull arrived, the project entered a new phase. The first priority was not, as one might have expected, to start installing the engines.

It was safety.

Only when those systems were in place could the yard begin the next phase. Then came the large components.

A planned opening was cut into the hull side to allow major equipment to be brought inside. At the same time, insulation, electrical work and piping began. Everything that would eventually disappear behind ceilings and walls had to be installed early.

The process is carefully sequenced. Get it wrong, and one discipline can block another. Get it right, and dozens of different trades can work simultaneously. By the later stages, the vessel begins to look increasingly like a ship rather than a construction site.

Pipes are pressure-tested. Steel foundations are completed. Electrical systems approach termination of cabling. Cabins, mess rooms and the wheelhouse begin to take shape.

"Now we’re in the commissioning phase where we’re about to start up and test all the equipment."

That is when the project enters another critical stage. Every system has to work.

And on Rem Pioneer, there are many systems that are far from conventional.

A different kind of shipbuilding

The technology aboard Rem Pioneer creates additional challenges for a yard accustomed to more conventional offshore vessels.

The vessel’s ability to operate on methanol is one obvious example.

There are stricter class requirements, specialized piping, additional testing and processes such as X-ray inspection of pipes. Some of the expertise required simply does not exist within the traditional local supplier base.

For the methanol piping, Myklebust brought in specialist expertise from Finland.

That is part of the reality of modern shipbuilding. A Norwegian maritime cluster does not mean every component or every skill has to come from Norway.

Quite the opposite.

The strength of the cluster lies partly in knowing when to use local expertise and when to bring in specialist knowledge from elsewhere.

There is also a commercial reality. New technology creates uncertainty in both time and cost. Unexpected requirements can stop work temporarily. Specialist work may take longer.

A new system can create interfaces that nobody has previously encountered.

The yard therefore has to balance enthusiasm for innovation with proper commercial discipline.

"We have to meet it with open arms, but take the necessary reservations to ensure we have both the time and compensation for it."

When the drawing meets reality

Even the best digital model cannot eliminate every problem.

And here Myklebust has an advantage that comes from its history. The yard has extensive experience in conversion and repair work. That means its workforce is accustomed to dealing with unexpected situations.

"With projects this large and complex, there will always be something complex and undefined that needs to be solved."

The difference is how the yard responds. A pure production mindset can lead to a problem being pushed back to the designer. A repair and conversion mindset asks a different question:

How do we solve it?

"We’re used to not just building to the drawing and stopping if it doesn't fit – we solve it as well."

For Muren, that experience is particularly valuable when working on a new design. Because a new design inevitably contains new challenges.

"The expertise adds real value to a new design, because you know there will be a number of novel issues you’ll encounter that need solving quickly and efficiently to move forward."

Why Rem chose Norway

Perhaps the most significant vote of confidence in Myklebust came when Rem Offshore decided that the vessel should be completed in Norway.

It was not an obvious decision.

Norwegian yards compete against shipyards in countries with significantly lower labour costs. China in particular has become a benchmark for pricing.

But price was never the only consideration. The Norwegian proposition is based on something broader. Delivery precision, predictability, experience, competence and communication.

And, not at least, trust.

"If you place an order here, history has shown a great foreseeability, having long and solid tradition of delivering as agreed."

The relationship between Rem and Myklebust also goes back many years. The companies know each other. People know each other. And that matters.

The owner is only around 25 minutes away, and many of the suppliers are located in Ulsteinvik and Ålesund, close by. In addition the designer is nearby.

If there is a problem, people can sit down together.

"It’s great to have that low threshold to be able to talk whenever needed and at short notice."

Muren believes it has real value.

"When you run a tender process, you look at the figures, but there are often factors behind them regarding trust, predictability, and confidence in the choice you make."

A local cluster with global ambitions

The local supplier base is another important part of the equation.

Rem Pioneer is not built from off-the-shelf equipment.

The project includes highly specialised systems and equipment, including advanced cranes, winches, electrical systems and propulsion technology.

Some suppliers are global technology leaders. Others are local companies with international ambitions.

Wärtsilä has provided the main engines. Brunvoll the propulsion. Evotec supplies LARS for ROVs. HG Group is part of the electrical supply chain. Other specialist expertise has been sourced further afield when necessary.

That balance is important.

"You have to find solutions that fit well together," Muren says.

The aim is not to select the cheapest component in isolation. It is to create a vessel that works as a complete system. That is particularly important for Rem Pioneer, with its large crane, energy regeneration and focus on power consumption.

The owner, according to Muren, has been clear about its ambitions.

"They have a very clear philosophy and vision for what they want, and we act as a contributor to realizing those intentions and desires."

The financing nobody sees

There is another part of shipbuilding that is rarely visible when a vessel is photographed at the quay.

Finance.

A project of this scale requires substantial construction financing, and the ability to put that financing in place is itself a competitive factor. For Rem Pioneer, Sparebanken Møre acted as the main bank and agent for the construction financing, with Eksfin and Sparebanken Sogn og Fjordane also involved.

A consortium structure helped make the project possible.

Muren stresses the importance of having a financial partner that understands the maritime industry.

"It isn't brought up that often, but you depend on that capacity and trust to lift such large projects."

For the local maritime cluster, the benefits extend beyond the shipyard. A new vessel creates activity for suppliers, subcontractors and service companies throughout the region.

That, in turn, creates further value for the banks and institutions supporting the industry.

It is another example of how interconnected the maritime cluster really is.

Learning from one ship to the next

Perhaps the most valuable outcome of the Rem Pioneer project will not be limited to the first vessel.

There is already a sister vessel, Rem Ocean, following behind. And that creates an opportunity that every shipbuilder values:

learning.

The first vessel inevitably reveals things that could have been done differently. Perhaps something should have been installed at the hull yard. Maybe a pipe system could have been prepared further before transport. Perhaps a sequence could have been changed.

Those lessons can then be transferred directly to the next vessel.

"The second hull arrived with a significantly higher level of detail in terms of outfitting and pipework."

That is the advantage of a sister ship. You do not have to start again from zero. The knowledge gained from the first project becomes part of the second. And if a third, fourth or fifth vessel follows, the process becomes increasingly efficient.

That is how a shipyard builds not only vessels, but capability.

A Ship of the Year at the right time

When Rem Pioneer was named Ship of the Year, Muren admits that the result came as a bit of a surprise.

There was strong competition, including two projects from Ulstein.

"We had tough competition," he says.

"I can’t say it was obvious that I expected us to win it, so it was a very pleasant surprise."

The award is particularly significant because Myklebust had never won Ship of the Year before. For a yard with a long shipbuilding tradition, the timing therefore feels right.

"It was a very fitting moment to win the award with a super-local project."

And Muren does not see the award as recognition for Myklebust alone.

"It was very nice, because it’s recognition for the whole maritime cluster here: our workforce, Skipsteknisk, the suppliers, and the ship owner."

That is perhaps the most fitting description of Rem Pioneer.

It is a vessel that could not have been produced by one company working alone. It is the result of a network.