Naniwa Pump Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has received an order for various pumps for two 97,000 dwt drilling ships being built by Samsung Heavy Industries in Korea for Pacific Drilling Limited.

The agreement calls for 69 pumps per ship, with deliveries starting in January 2012.

Drilling ships are a type of floating offshore drilling unit.  They can work in deep water using precise automatic positioning. Compared to semi-submersibles, which are also a type of floating offshore drilling unit, drilling ships cost less to build and are superior in mobility due to decreased tow resistance.