Van Oord orders subsea rock installation vessels

Van Oord has placed an order for two subsea rock installation vessels in a series for delivery between 2028 and 2029 following completion at Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore in China.

The vessels will each be capable of operating on methanol and biofuel in addition to being able to load up to 35,000 tonnes. They will also feature DP2 systems to enable them to maintain precise positioning despite challenging conditions such as waves, wind and currents.

Van Oord said these features will make the vessels ideal for long-distance projects, as they will minimise round trips, reducing emissions and costs per installed rock volume.

The company said the vessels will be capable of handling large rock sizes.

The vessels will also each feature a DC-grid with large battery storage capacity, and an energy-efficient hull design, and a rock handling system.

Van Oord currently operates three subsea rock installation vessels. The company said the new vessels will build on their earlier counterparts with a number of upgrades.