Its net income for the period was EUR 10.6m ($13.9m) versus EUR 30.9m the year prior.

Bourbon operated 501 vessels in the first six months of 2014, 29 more than 2013, but fleet utilisation declined from 83.4% to 81.5%.

Christian Lefevre, chief executive for the company, blamed a slowdown in activity, partly due to cost reductions by oil and gas companies and delays on some projects, for the profit fall.

However,