Based on the coast of Louisiana, Bordelon Marine has been providing international offshore support and subsea services for almost 45 years. Thanks to the versatility of its vessels, the company is in the process of diversifying into new sectors. President & CEO Wes Bordelon explained more, in an exclusive interview with Inside Marine. Report by Imogen Ward.
Having triumphed within the oil and gas sector since Bordelon Marine was first established in 1979, the company has recently noticed an uptick in new work.
“Our primary market is the oil and gas space, supporting light construction and IMR work,” President & CEO Wes Bordelon explained. “However, with the recent development of the U.S. wind and space industries, our available markets have expanded.”
Over the years, Bordelon Marine has built up a solid reputation as a privately held vessel owner and operator. As time progressed, the company expanded its capabilities from its initial focus in oil and gas. This enabled the company to explore various industries, such as military,
renewables and environmental disaster response, providing it with a dynamic and diverse customer base.
The versatile Stingray
In 2011, Bordelon Marine diversified into shipbuilding with the establishment of its subsidiary Bordelon Marine Shipbuilders. With this development came a brandnew shipyard built specifically for the construction of the company’s new deepwater vessel, Stingray260.
Currently housing a fleet of three Stringray260s, Bordelon Marine values these vessels for their adaptability within the market.
“The Stringray260 was designed to be versatile, and that is really the essence of why we have had such great success
with these vessels,” said Mr. Bordelon. “When compared to other examples of light construction vessels currently available, the Stingray provides a more cost-effective option without sacrificing the high spec performance that our subsea customers require.”
Exemplifying the capabilities of its Stingray vessels, on a recent project Bordelon Marine was able to support node deployment and recovery, in a more efficient manner than the standard larger MPSVs. The Stingray’s convenient size was utilized alongside two work class ROVs and a 60-ton subsea AHC crane, which allowed for the lowest day rate and fuel consumption.
Also included in the company’s fleet is one survey vessel and six mini supply vessels.
These range from 150 to 180 feet and provide a variety of support services, including construction, decommissioning, exploration, production, and wind farm support.
Other services in Bordelon Marine’s offering feature a comprehensive range of subsea surveyance, maintenance and inspection, as well as ROV and mobilization services.
A collaborative enterprise
Each contract undertaken by Bordelon Marine is very much a team effort – from the company’s crucial supply chain to its diligent employees.
“Reliable supply chain partners are critical in our daily operations,” said Mr. Bordelon, “especially when it comes to shipbuilding: there are thousands of complicated widgets
(both big and small) that need to come together, on time and in a well-engineered order. Without a reliable supply chain network and engaged technical partners, this is simply impossible.”
The same can be said for everyone that works at Bordelon Marine. Whether on land or out at sea, the company is committed to developing a positive and supportive environment that nurtures and motivates the passion of all its workforce.
“A modern company needs to have a genuinely supportive culture that can address issues like ‘work life balance’, professional growth, and training,” Mr. Bordelon continued. “This is only achievable through communication, trans -
parency, and the promise to act in an ethical way towards employees, the community, and the environment.
“At Bordelon, we truly believe in this philosophy and try to create a culture where people can thrive.”
Exploring new sectors
As industry-wide trends focus on the topic of renewables and green energy, Bordelon recently made the decision to expand its capabilities once again.
According to Mr. Bordelon, the diversification to wind was quite a simple process: “The wind industry has very similar infrastructure needs as oil and gas, from survey , inspection, cable laying, and topside and
subsea construction. Many of these scopes have been common practice in this space for decades.”
Because of these similarities, the company has been able to transition its vessels without too many complications.
“The true advantage of our Stingray design is in its ability to support a variety of work at a lower cost point without sacrificing technical performance,” Mr. Bordelon said. “We can provide the state of the art features of a large construction vessel in a much smaller and more affordable package. The Stingray’s value becomes increasingly apparent over time and after multiple jobs.”
In line with this new focus, Bordelon is implementing a stronger commitment to sustainability. Fully aware that it is a long
road that is vastly untraveled, Bordelon believes that a commitment from all industry players is required. However, this does not come without its challenges.
“Sustainability requires a genuine commitment to renewable methods, changes in future vessel designs, and an acceptance of the higher costs that comes with those new systems. It also requires more stringent operating procedures to ensure accountability and follow through over time,” Mr. Bordelon explained. “The move towards sustainability has affected the oil and gas industry in a variety of ways.
“In the near term, it’s been mostly about the economics, with budgets being re-allocated to wind and other renewables. But in the long term, the changes will be much broader and far reaching,
affecting operating procedures, equipment and the fundamental standards across the spectrum of business. Ultimately, I believe this will be a good thing “ With the focus on green energy becoming increasingly prevalent, the oil and gas industry has also witnessed a shortage of competent workers entering the industry. However, despite this challenge, Bordelon Marine has confidence when it comes to the future.
“The oil and gas industry will continue to thrive for the foreseeable future, and the US wind market will eventually take root and grow over time,” Mr. Bordelon concluded.
“When combined, these industries should provide a robust market for marine service companies going forward. It’s a great time to be in the boat business, and we look forward to utilizing our current fleet and our shipyard to build next generation vessels for these future markets.”
