CGGVeritas to Expand Fleet with 6 BOURBON Support Vessels

CGGVeritas has signed a five-year marine charter agreement with BOURBON for six new support vessels to assist its seismic operations. The new vessels will be delivered starting at the end of 2012.

Jean-Georges Malcor, CEO of CGGVeritas, said, "This agreement to charter vessels to support our seismic acquisition operations is another step in our ambitious plan to improve the performance of our fleet and streamline the number of our maritime partners. CGGVeritas will benefit from the expertise of the BOURBON group and its commitment to the highest standards of operating quality and safety worldwide."

"We are delighted to have been chosen by CGGVeritas, which comes as further confirmation of BOURBON's capacity to adapt to meet the needs of its clients," announced Christian Lefèvre, CEO of BOURBON. "At the same time, this agreement emphasizes BOURBON's recognized expertise in the design and management of marine service vessels. The construction of a new segment of vessels for our fleet fits perfectly with the investments we are making under the BOURBON 2015 strategic plan."

The chartered vessels will support CGGVeritas seismic vessels during their survey operations around the world, by providing them with the requisite ancillary services including refueling, crew change, food and equipment delivery, storage, assistance, and support during in-sea maintenance operations. In addition, their unique hybrid propulsion will offer exceptional operational flexibility and low energy consumption.