The Northern Endeavour - the former FPSO which for so many years served Woodside so well in the Laminaria and Corallina fields to the north of Australia - has passed through the Suez Canal on its long, slow journey to the Danish shipyard where it will be dismantled.
Until earlier this month the much-loved vessel has been in Seatrium's dry dock in Singapore, where it was prepared for its journey to Modern American Recycling Services (MARS) 's shipyard in Denmark.
Now, with its flare tower removed, tanks and hull cleaned and painted, and hull protrusions trimmed, the vessel is currently in the Mediterranean, next stop Malta.
Images: SCA
Admiral Osama Rabie, the chairman and MD of the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), said: "Choosing the transit through the Suez Canal achieves savings in time and cost, and ensures a reduction in harmful carbon emissions, making it the optimal destination for qualitative transit operations."
On the back of Cosco's 2022 built Hua Rui Long semi-submersible, one of the world's largest heavy-lift vessels, the transit required special navigational measures with four SCA tugboats and a total of six SCA senior pilots involved in the operation.
In a recent social media post the WA branch of the Maritime Union of Australia again criticised the decision taken to send the vessel away for decommissioning.
"The Northern Endeavour didn't leave because Australia couldn't do the work. It left because the decision was made not to," they wrote.
Click here to read ENB's deep dive on the Northern Endeavour's history.
