ANGOLA: BOURBON wins a 5-year contract with ExxonMobil

BOURBON is strengthening its 15-year collaboration with ExxonMobil in Angola by announcing the signing of a five-year contract for the charter of new 34-meter vessels to ensure the transfer of personnel between Soyo and Block 15, 80 miles offshore. 

These new Crewboats have been custom-designed to meet the client’s operational requirements: enhanced passenger transfer capacity, optimized comfort, energy performance and, above all, technical reliability, drawing on Bourbon Mobility’s extensive experience with Angola’s operational constraints. 

These new units will replace the 32m crewliners currently in service and represent a major evolution in terms of efficiency, reliability, design and onboard technologies. Combining performance and fuel efficiency, they boast a cruising speed of up to 38 knots, a reduction in fuel consumption of more than 10-15% compared to the previous generation, and an improved passenger experience to offer a premium standard on board. 

The ships have in particular: 

• 60 passenger seats with improved comfort (new seat design, individual USB sockets),
• 18 m2 of front deck area, allowing the carrying of small packages
• a redesigned navigation bridge, with better visibility and improved ergonomics
• a real-time energy performance monitoring system (EFMS) integrated from the construction stage.

Designed by the French naval design office MAURIC in Marseille, the ships will be delivered to Angola in 2027.

“This contract confirms the strength of our partnership with ExxonMobil and the relevance of our tailor-made offering. With this new vessel, we reaffirm our ability to innovate to support our customers in their operational and environmental requirements, while maintaining a reliable and sustainable technical solution,” emphasizes Nicolas Elizon, Director of Operations and New Construction at Bourbon Mobility. 

Deployed on Block 15, these new vessels will complement a Surfer fleet of five units. They symbolize BOURBON’s desire to establish itself as a leading partner for major international oil companies, combining technical reliability, safety, and environmental performance.