A fast-track decision by Canada’s transport regulator has advanced plans to deploy a Boskalis heavy lift vessel for urgent repair work on Suncor Energy’s Terra Nova FPSO offshore Newfoundland and Labrador.
The vessel is planned to remove a main power generator from the FPSO. Upstream reported on 29 September 2026 that the proposed Boskalis deployment had received a fast-track go-ahead, while Suncor was still awaiting the remaining approval required for the operation.
The development follows a power problem reported aboard Terra Nova. On 25 September 2026, Upstream reported that the main power generator needed to be repaired or replaced rapidly, with the FPSO’s station-keeping capability potentially affected if the issue remained unresolved as winter weather approached.
Under Canada’s coasting trade system, foreign-registered vessels may be used for commercial marine activities in Canadian waters when no suitable Canadian-registered duty-paid vessel is available. The Canadian Transportation Agency can process applications on a fast-track basis for unforeseen short-term situations where failure to carry out the activity could negatively affect a business or community.
The Agency’s determination is one stage of the coasting trade licensing process and is not itself the final licence permitting the foreign vessel to conduct the activity.
Suncor Energy operates Terra Nova with a 48% interest, alongside Cenovus Energy with 34% and Murphy Oil with 18%. The FPSO is 292.2 m long and 45.5 m wide and can store 960,000 barrels of oil.
Boskalis operates DP2 heavy lift vessels with crane capacities of 3,000 t and 4,000 t for offshore transportation, installation and decommissioning work.
