Neptune's US subsidiary US Underwater Services (USUS) will use the company's patented NEPSYS dry underwater welding technology to secure the subsea portion of the DTS to the interface that has been installed on the vessel's starboard forward hull.

"This latest project reinforces Neptune's successful commercialisation of the NEPSYS technology in the international marketplace and lays a solid foundation for ongoing adoption of the technology by operators who recognise the intrinsic value of applying a permanent, class society approved, cost and time effective solution to the maintenance and repair of their valuable assets," Neptune managing director Christian Lange said.

Lange added the recognition from Lloyd's Register, which is overseeing the project and classification of the vessel, emphasised the technical superiority that the NEPSYS technology had over more conventional options.

USUS is expected to start work on the project in May 2008 and expects to take more than 30 days of 24-hour operations to complete the welding process.

The vessel's hull is being refurbished in Croatia and the DTS is being fabricated in Holland.

Assembly of the DTS on the vessel will take place at the Kewitt Shipyard in Corpus Christi, Texas.