Frederik Mohn has teamed up with a US private equity firm to buy an unwanted drillship newbuilding ordered by John Fredriksen at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.

The tie-up between Mohn’s investment vehicle Perestroika and Lime Rock Partners has agreed to pay $200m for Hull No 3623, formerly known as the West Aquila.

Drilling rig giant Transocean said it has made a $15m non-controlling investment in the joint venture, which is called Liquila Ventures.