P&O Maritime Logistics (POML) has bought a Malaysian anchor-handling tug supply (AHTS) ship for work off Qatar.

The plan is to significantly upgrade the 5,221-hp P&O Katara (built 2013), the Dubai-based company said.

The former Icon Azra was acquired from Lianson Fleet Group in Malaysia.

Brokers put the price at $6.9m, against a VesselsValue valuation of $7.75m.

The DP World-owned company’s chief executive Prasad Narayan said the ship is “a strategic addition to our expanding fleet designed to support our growing offshore service capabilities”.

The vessel will undergo “significant modifications, including the installation of a large capacity telescopic crane, a mezzanine deck and other key offshore components”, he added.

Narayan said: “These upgrades will enable our Qatar end-client to effectively utilise the vessel for offshore platform maintenance operations.

“This acquisition reflects our continued commitment to delivering world-class marine services and reinforces POML’s vision of providing a more integrated, efficient offshore logistics solution.”

P&O Maritime operates 78 ships, mainly offshore vessels, but also a boxship, a tanker, heavylift and general cargo tonnage, and a ropax.

The fleet of AHTS units stands at 23 and is worth $530m, according to VesselsValue.

Narayan replaced the long-serving Martin Helweg as CEO last year.

He had been the chief financial officer for 12 years previously.

Lianson is the Kuala Lumpur-listed former Icon Offshore.

Last September, the company revealed a major fleet expansion, including diversification into dry bulk shipping.

The owner said it was spending a total of MYR 394m ($91m) to acquire vessels from the private fleet of Lim Han Weng, 71, the founder of domestic floating production, storage and offloading vessel and tanker company Yinson.(Copyright)