Lockheed Martin launched Lider, the first of two SLICE(R) Crew Transport Vessels (SCTV) the company is building for Hoteleria y Servicios Petroleros, S. A. de C.V. (HSP) of Mexico on Saturday. HSP in conjunction with Consultoria y Servicios Petroleros, S.A. de C.V. (COSEPE) will operate the two vessels, under contract with Mexico's national oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), to transport workers and limited cargo from Ciudad del Carmen to the Gulf of Mexico's Campeche Basin Oil Field, approximately 90 miles offshore.

Constructed at the FBMA shipyard in the Philippines, Lider and its sister ship, Tenaz, which will be launched this spring, feature Lockheed Martin's innovative SLICE(R) design. The company first used this innovative design for a vessel it developed, built and tested for the United States Office of Naval Research. Based on Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) design, the SCTV hull form will improve the operational efficiency and lower the costs for PEMEX by enabling Lider and Tenaz to operate faster in more challenging sea conditions and still provide a safer, more comfortable ride. Following the dock and sea trials over the next several months, Lider and Tenaz will be transported together to Mexico for final delivery to HSP this summer.

"Today, and even more so in the future, oil exploration and production demands support vessels to go farther from shore and into deeper waters, often exposing passengers to rougher seas and for longer periods of time. By incorporating the latest technological advancements in offshore marine crew transportation in decades, Lider and Tenaz will enable HSP to better serve PEMEX by providing safer, more cost-effective, swifter and more comfortable transportation," said Carlos Alfaro, chief executive officer of HSP.

"We are extremely pleased to launch Lider," said Dave Broadbent, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Littoral Ships & Systems line of business. "Not only are we on budget and on time for delivery later this year, but we are providing HSP with an innovative vessel that meets the demanding needs of the offshore industry. The faster, smoother ride of Lider and Tenaz will enable workers to arrive sooner, healthier and ready to work."

The development of the detailed engineering and construction work for Lider and Tenaz took place in Baltimore, MD; Sunnyvale, CA; Cebu, Philippines; and Southampton, UK.

Lockheed Martin's Littoral Ships & Systems line of business in Baltimore is an innovator in developing ship systems and advanced hull forms, including, SLICE(R), Varicraft(R) and SWATH designs. Lockheed Martin is also leading the construction of the United States Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin