On 15 May 2010 MPI Offshore Limited proudly participated in the keel-laying ceremony for “MPI Discovery”, the second of two state-of-the-art wind turbine installation vessels, currently under construction at the Cosco Nantong Shipyard in China.
A tradition built up over centuries, the keel laying marks the ceremonial beginning of the ship’s construction. The keel laying consists of placing the first major construction blocks in position on the skidway at the shipyard and represents an important milestone in the construction of the vessel. Only the ship’s launching is considered more significant. Forming the backbone of a ship, the keel is the first part of the vessel to be constructed.