Offshore and Bulk Shipping Sectors Secure Major Long-Term Contracts

## Offshore and Bulk Shipping Sectors Secure Major Long-Term Contracts A cluster of substantial contract awards across the offshore and bulk shipping sectors this week underscores sustained demand for specialised tonnage and integrated services, with operators and service providers locking in work well into the next decade. ### DOF Wins Preliminary 2028 Offshore Award Norwegian offshore vessel owner DOF has received a letter of intent for the hire of an I-class vessel in 2028, according to Splash247. The scope of work extends beyond vessel provision to include DOF's in-house project management, engineering, procurement, and logistics support services — reflecting the company's strategy of offering integrated offshore solutions rather than bare vessel supply alone. DOF expects to confirm the full contract award by mid-November 2026. While financial terms were not disclosed, the preliminary award adds to the company's forward order book at a time when demand for specialised offshore support vessels remains firm across the North Sea and global subsea markets. ### EnerMech Retains Chevron Australia Integrity Contract Through 2031 Aberdeen-headquartered oilfield services specialist EnerMech has secured a five-year extension to its non-destructive testing and asset-integrity contract with Chevron Australia, Splash247 reports. The renewed agreement keeps EnerMech on the assignment until the end of 2031, having first won the work in 2017 — representing a relationship now spanning well over a decade. The extension is significant for EnerMech's Asia-Pacific operations and reflects Chevron's confidence in the incumbent provider's performance across its Australian upstream assets. Asset-integrity services have grown in strategic importance as ageing offshore infrastructure requires increasingly rigorous inspection regimes to maintain regulatory compliance and operational safety. ### MOL and Vale Sign 25-Year Tri-Fuel Ore Carrier Charter In one of the more consequential deals of the week, Japanese shipping major Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has agreed to operate two 210,000-dwt ore carriers for Brazilian mining giant Vale under a 25-year charter, Splash247 reports. The agreement was signed through MOL Ocean Bulk, the group's Singapore-based capesize bulker operating arm, with Vale International. The vessels will feature tri-fuel propulsion — a technology capable of running on conventional fuel oil, LNG, and potentially ammonia or other alternative fuels — marking a notable step forward in decarbonising the high-volume, long-haul iron ore trade between Brazil and Asia. A 25-year charter horizon provides the commercial certainty needed to justify the additional capital expenditure associated with advanced propulsion systems, and signals that both parties are aligning on a long-term emissions reduction pathway. The deal is consistent with Vale's broader fleet renewal strategy and MOL's commitment to deploying greener tonnage across its bulk carrier portfolio. --- *Sources: Splash247*