China Merchants Heavy Industry Shenzhen has begun construction of a new cable laying vessel ordered by Greece's Asso Subsea.
Upon completion, Althea will have a DP2 system and will be capable of cable laying operations in shallow waters, deep offshore waters, and intertidal zones.
The vessel will be powered by a hybrid diesel and battery power generation plant. She will be equipped with methanol-ready engines capable of running on biofuels and complying with IMO Tier III NOx emission standards.
The vessel will have the ability to manage up to 12,000 tonnes of cable in one, two or three carousel divisions, thus allowing her to support multi-section operations.
Althea will offer access to areas beyond the reach of conventional cable laying vessels, as she will be capable of operating at draughts as low as 4.5 metres in full DP2 mode with a cable payload of more than 50 per cent of her maximum capacity.
The cable laying vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2027. She will be deployed on subsea cable installation projects around the world.