DEME has placed an order for a new offshore construction vessel (OCV) to be built by PaxOcean Zhoushan in China.
DEME said the acquisition of the new vessel will strengthen its subsea cable installation capacity to meet the evolving requirements of the global offshore wind market.
Designed by Norwegian naval architecture firm Salt Ship Design, the 123-metre OCV will be equipped with a DP2 system, a 150-ton active heave-compensated offshore crane, a hangar for two work class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), a hybrid 1,000kWh battery system, and a methanol-ready propulsion system.
Below deck, the vessel will be configured to accommodate two 2,500-ton cable carousels, enabling swift deployment and transitions between trenching, burial, and cable-laying operations.
From the OCV itself, an ROV trencher can be launched to execute trenching and cable burial operations in collaboration with other cable laying vessels in the DEME fleet. Accommodation will also be available for up to 123 personnel.
The OCV is scheduled for delivery to DEME by 2028.