The semi-submersible heavy lift ship Zhen Hua 33 arrived in Darwin Harbour on Saturday 19 August 2017 carrying the drill rig Noble Tom Prosser. Zhen Hua 33 will take ballast water during Monday night in order to partially submerge to allow the rig to be floated free.

Noble Tom Prosser will remain in the Harbour during re-commissioning and is expected to depart for a NW Shelf drilling campaign in late August. The rig was designed to drill to 10,000 metres in water depths up to 121 metres.

Planning for the rig discharge in Darwin commenced five months ago.