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General offshore waste and non-hazardous materials.
Offshore Mud Skips – Drill Cutting & Waste Containers
- Capacity
- 4T–12T MGW
- Certification
- DNV 2.7-1 / EN 12079
- Compliance
- MARPOL Annex V
- Construction
- Sealed floor, leak seals
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4T to 12T MGW across closed, open, low-profile, and vacuum-rated configurations. S355/Q345 structural steel, SA 2.5 blast preparation, epoxy primer, marine polyurethane topcoat to ISO 12944 C5-M. Aluminium lids, forklift pockets on all four sides, leak-prevention seals.
DNV 2.7-1 (DNV-ST-E273) for crane lifting and EN 12079 (Parts 1-3). Sealed construction driven by MARPOL Annex V (IMO MEPC.201(62)) prohibition on discharging oil-based-mud cuttings at sea, with OSPAR Decision 2000/3 for the North-East Atlantic.
Collection and transport of drill cuttings and discarded drilling mud from offshore platforms to onshore disposal facilities via crane transfer.
Overview
Sealed, crane-rated skips for offshore drilling waste
SCS Global manufactures offshore mud skips and cutting skips to DNV 2.7-1 and EN 12079 certification. These purpose-built containers collect, contain, and transport drill cuttings and discarded drilling mud from offshore platforms to onshore disposal facilities via crane transfer. Unlike standard freight containers, SCS engineers every unit for heavy-duty lifting with sealed floors, leak-prevention seals, and DNV-approved pad-eye arrangements. SCS builds the full skip family from 4T to 12T maximum gross weight as part of our DNV offshore container range The commercial demand for containerised offshore waste transport comes directly from environmental regulation. MARPOL Annex V amendments prohibit the discharge of drill cuttings treated with oil-based mud (OBM) at sea, so operators on every offshore drilling campaign now require certified containers to move cuttings to shore for treatment and disposal.
Specifications
Mud Skip Specifications and Sizes
SCS manufactures offshore skip containers from 4T to 12T maximum gross weight, including standard and low-profile configurations and the SCS OCB cutting skip at 12,000 kg MGW. All models use S355/Q345 structural steel (minimum yield 345/355 MPa) with SA 2.5 blast surface preparation and an epoxy primer plus marine polyurethane topcoat rated to ISO 12944 C5-M for offshore exposure.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Skip types | Mud skip, cutting skip, general waste skip, box skip |
| Capacity range | 4,000 kg to 12,000 kg MGW |
| Standard mud skip (DCB) dimensions | ~1,900 x 1,730 x 1,208 mm |
| Standard mud skip MGW / tare / payload | 6,000 kg / ~1,000 kg / 5,000 kg |
| Low-profile mud skip (DCBA) | ~1,900 x 1,730 x 1,400 mm; 6,000 kg MGW |
| SCS OCB cutting skip MGW / tare / payload | 12,000 kg / ~2,400 kg / ~9,600 kg |
| Heavy-duty closed skip | ~2,212 x 1,852 x 1,491 mm; 10,000 kg MGW |
| 20ft cuttings box footprint | ~6,058 x 2,438 mm deck footprint |
| Structural steel grade | S355 / Q345 (min yield 345/355 MPa) |
| Coating system | SA 2.5 blast + epoxy primer + marine polyurethane topcoat (ISO 12944 C5-M) |
| Lifting arrangement | 4-leg sling + certified shackles, DNV-approved pad-eye design |
| Lid | Lightweight aluminium, single or double options; manlid for access |
| Seals | Leak-prevention seals for crane transfer |
| Forklift pockets | All four sides |
| Design temperature | -20°C standard / -40°C for Arctic and sub-Arctic |
Drilling Waste
Mud Skips for Offshore Drilling
Mud skips are DNV 2.7-1 certified containers built to collect and transport drill cuttings and discarded mud from offshore platforms to onshore disposal. They are purpose-built lifting vessels, not ISO freight containers, sized for crane transfer between platform, supply vessel, and shore base, with sealed floors and leak-prevention seals to contain waste in transit. Forklift pockets on all four sides and a stackable design ease onshore handling. Capacities run from 4T to 12T MGW across closed, open, low-profile, and vacuum-rated configurations.
Cutting Skips
Drill Cutting Skips
Cutting skips are closed, sealed containers for solid drill cuttings and rock fragments from offshore drilling. Every cutting skip is DNV 2.7-1 certified for crane lifting, with sealed floors and leak-prevention features to contain waste during transfer, MPI/NDT on all critical welds, and a production proof load test before shipment. The distinction is practical, not regulatory: mud skips handle wet fluids and discarded mud, cutting skips handle solid chips and rock, and many units serve both. SCS builds the OCB cutting skip at 12,000 kg MGW (approximately 2,400 kg tare).
Compliance
DNV Certification for Offshore Waste Skips
Offshore mud skips require DNV 2.7-1 (DNV-ST-E273) certification for structural integrity and crane lifting, covering offshore containers up to 25,000 kg MGW. EN 12079 (Parts 1-3) is the European harmonised equivalent, mandated in the North Sea. The regulatory driver is MARPOL Annex V (IMO MEPC.201(62)): post-2013 amendments prohibit discharging oil-based-mud cuttings at sea, and OSPAR Decision 2000/3 bars North-East Atlantic discharge above 1% oil by weight. SCS tests every unit with MPI/NDT on critical welds, proof load testing per DNV 2.7-1, and sling test certification. Third-party inspection is available from BV, DNV, ABS, LR, SGS, or Intertek.
ISO 
Bureau Veritas 
DNV 
Lloyd's Register 
BIC 
ABS Standards & References
Standards we build to
Every skip we manufacture is engineered against the standards below. Click through to the source authority for the full text and current revision.
DNV 2.7-1 (DNV-ST-E273) Offshore container structural certification and crane lifting, up to 25,000 kg MGW. DNV
MARPOL Annex V (MEPC.201(62)) Prohibits discharge of oil-based-mud drill cuttings at sea, driving the containerised cuttings-transport requirement. IMO
OSPAR Decision 2000/3 Prohibits discharge of cuttings contaminated above 1% oil by weight in the North-East Atlantic. OSPAR Commission
Configuration Options
Skip Configuration Options
Each skip type is available in multiple configurations to match operational requirements. Standard features run across all configurations: forklift pockets on all four sides, aluminium lid, manlid, sling and lid tie-backs, leak-prevention seals, and DNV-approved pad-eye lifting arrangement.
Closed Standard
Sealed lid for drill cuttings and OBM waste.
Closed Low Profile
Reduced height for deck-space-constrained platforms.
Vacuum-Rated
Suction loading of liquid and slurry waste.
20ft Cuttings Box
~6,058 x 2,438 mm footprint for high-volume cuttings operations.
Arctic Spec
Design temperature to -40°C for Arctic and sub-Arctic operations.
Applications
Offshore Waste Skip Applications
Mud skips and cutting skips move drilling waste from offshore rigs to shore for treatment and disposal, driven by the MARPOL Annex V prohibition on discharging oil-based-mud cuttings at sea. Every active drilling province requires certified offshore waste containers.
Oil, Gas & Energy
Collection and transport of drill cuttings and discarded mud from fixed platforms, jackup rigs, drillships, and deepwater operations under MARPOL Annex V and OSPAR Decision 2000/3.
Mining & Resources
Certified waste and cuttings containment for onshore exploration and resource drilling where drilling-waste handling and transport is regulated.
Construction & Infrastructure
Containment and transport of bored-pile spoil and drilling slurry on major civil, marine, and foundation construction projects.
Military & Defence
DNV-certified waste containment for naval and defence marine operations requiring regulated offshore waste transport.
Tell us the waste stream, capacity, and classification society. We build to your configuration with DNV 2.7-1 certification.
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Engineering Resources
Download technical documentation
Spec sheets and certificate summaries for engineering review. Every engineering document published here has a crawlable HTML equivalent elsewhere on the page.
Related Products
Explore the offshore range
Sister products in the SCS DNV offshore range. Every unit is built on the same Jiangsu line, against the same DNV testing regime.
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Offshore Container Standards
Guide to DNV 2.7-1, EN 12079, and offshore container certification requirements.
offshore container standards guideFAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Three questions procurement and operations ask most often about offshore mud skips.
What Is a Mud Skip Container?
A mud skip is a DNV 2.7-1 certified offshore container built to collect and transport drill cuttings and discarded drilling mud from platforms to onshore disposal. Each unit has a sealed floor, leak-prevention seals, and a lightweight aluminium lid. These crane-rated containers handle offshore transfer with forklift pockets on all four sides. Capacity ranges from 6,000 to 12,000 kg maximum gross weight.
What Is the Difference Between a Mud Skip and a Cutting Skip?
Mud skips handle wet drilling fluids and discarded mud. Cutting skips handle solid drill cuttings and rock fragments. Both require DNV 2.7-1 certification for offshore crane lifting. In practice, many units serve both functions and are specified for mixed drilling waste. The term cuttings box typically refers to a 20ft container-footprint variant for higher-volume operations.
What Certifications Do Offshore Waste Skips Need?
Offshore drilling waste containers require DNV 2.7-1 certification for structural design and crane lifting. European and North Sea operations also require EN 12079 compliance. Every unit undergoes production proof load testing, and periodic examination at 12-month intervals maintains certification.