Saipem's Castoro 7 pipelaybarge departs Curacao for the last time

She first called at Curacao in December of 2012. After a fuelling stop at the Curacao Megapier, she shifted to, what was to become her temporary home base in the Caribbean, Jetty number 2 at Caracasbay. She stayed until June of 2013. Her second stint in Curacao was a short one, basically stopping in-between jobs for preparatory works, from May 2014 until September 2014. After completion of her last job, she called at Curacao for the third and last time, and stayed exactly 1 year: from 22 December 2014 until 22 December 2015. She departed Curacao for the last time, as she has been sold, to be broken up.

A few details of the "cockroach" or "grasshopper" as the people of Curacao affectionately called her:

Built: 1975

Deaweight: 138,996 tonnes

Length overall: 167.9 meters

Breadth: 58.5 meters 

Previous names: Viking Piper (1975), McDermott Laybarge 200 (1981), LB 200 (1998), Acergy Piper (2006). She was bought by Saipem and renamed Castoro 7, in 2009.

An interesting fact is that Dammers was approached by the previous owners, while she was still the "Acergy Piper". They were interested in calling at Curacao for long term. In the end, that was cancelled and the Acergy Piper sailed from Brasil to Europe, instead of Curacao, until Saipem picked her up and sent her to the Caribbean for pipelay work in Venezuela (Perla and Dragon projects).  

We are sad to see this iconic vessel sail for the last time. Many thanks to Saipem for choosing Curacao as her stopover location during these years.

Castoro 7 departing Curacao for the last time. Pictures taken by Jennifer Backer of Blue Skies Helicopters Curacao, during the last flight to disembark remaining crew members that assisted with unmooring operations. The bay of Caracasbay can been seen in the background.

On her way to the scrapyard, the convoy (Castoro 7 and her towing tug Skandi Admiral) passed the tiny Island of St. Helena, in the Atlantic Ocean, for provisions. For a report of this opensea "pit stop", please click on this link: whatthesaintsdidnext.