Brunvoll has secured a contract from Samsung Heavy Industries to provide “comprehensive” thruster and control system packages for nine Dynamic Positioning Level 2 (DP2) shuttle tankers.

According to Brunvoll, this order, which includes a total of 45 thrusters, marked its largest contract by both volume and value.

The vessels, owned by Tsakos Energy Navigation, are set to be leased on a long-term bareboat charter to Transpetro, a logistics subsidiary of Petrobras.

Brunvoll will deliver three retractable azimuth thrusters and two tunnel thrusters for each vessel.

These ships will also be equipped with Brunvoll's advanced Propulsion and Thruster Control system (BruCon PTC) and the Condition Monitoring System (BruCon CMS).

Brunvoll Group CEO Kåre Øyvind Vassdal said: “It is no secret that contracts like these are highly attractive to all major suppliers of propulsion and manoeuvring thrusters. That makes it all the more rewarding when we succeed by delivering the best solutions for our customers.

“Contracts of this magnitude are of great value to a company like Brunvoll, as they will contribute significantly to ensuring full utilisation of our factories in the years ahead, and our after-sales department is ready to assist throughout the vessel’s lifetime. I would like to thank everyone at Brunvoll for the dedication they show every day, helping us remain competitive in every possible way.”

Tsakos Energy Navigation's current fleet of shuttle tankers includes four vessels, with an additional three under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries.

Two of these under-construction vessels are expected to be delivered soon.

With the new order, Tsakos' fleet will expand to sixteen shuttle tankers, all using Brunvoll's thruster systems.

Brunvoll senior bid & sales manager Anders Ulvestad added: “This contract is a result of Brunvoll’s long-term commitment to delivering quality products and services. We are proud of our ever-growing market share within the shuttle tanker market. These are large vessels operating under challenging conditions far from shore, with demanding requirements for operability and precision.

“Shuttle tankers are a critical part of the infrastructure supporting the global crude oil supply chain, ensuring the safe and efficient transport of oil from offshore production sites to onshore facilities. Reliability and performance are non-negotiable—and that’s where Brunvoll excels.”

In May last year, Brunvoll entered a contract with VARD to provide a “comprehensive propulsion system” for a Service Operation Vessel (SOV) project.