Singapore offshore construction contractor Swiber said Friday it had in the first two months of 2009 already collected US$70 million in oilfield support work, or about one eighth of its backlog at the end of 2008.

The company said two offshore contruction vessels delivered in 2009 were helping it work through the US$596 million in accrued orders.

The vessels are the 200-tonne crane pipelay barge, Swiber Concorde, and the 100t crane dive-support work barge, Swiber Supporter.

Company chief exec Raymond Goh said the ships delivery reduced a reliance on having to sub-contract.

“It also eases the vessel shortage situation we were facing to support our brimming pipeline of projects,” Goh was quoted as saying.

Tags: Swiber Holdings Ltd