Rolls-Royce has won ship design and equipment supply contracts for offshore service and cable-laying vessels, worth approximately £100 million over the last three months, including its biggest-ever commercial marine order.

Dr Saul Lanyado, President - Marine, Rolls-Royce, said: "This is a significant step for Rolls-Royce. Development of the marine business is key to the future strategy of the group. These orders demonstrate a growing demand for specialist offshore vessels. We have a competitive edge in this market." The largest single order ever won by the commercial marine business of Rolls-Royce is from Aker Brattvaag, supplying ship designs and equipment for seven offshore service vessels, worth £33 million. The three anchor-handling tug supply vessels and four platform supply vessels will be built at two Aker Brattvaag shipyards in Norway for Gulf Offshore, a subsidiary of the American company Gulf Mark Offshore Inc. Work starts later this year and is due for completion in 2003.

The other contract is for cable-laying vessels. Four ships will be built for US-based CS TyCom Reliance at the Keppel Hitachi shipyard in Singapore.