DEME Orders New Offshore Construction Vessel from China

(Credit: DEME)

Belgium-based offshore installation services company DEME has ordered a new Offshore Construction Vessel (OCV), which will be built by PaxOcean at the Zhoushan shipyard in China.

The new OCV will strengthen DEME’s subsea cable installation capacity to meet the evolving global offshore wind market.

Designed for versatility, the vessel will be capable of executing trenching, burial, and cable-laying operations, complementing DEME’s existing cable installation vessels, Living Stone and Viking Neptun.

Representing a sizable investment, between $59 million and $177 million, the OCV will be constructed by PaxOcean at the Zhoushan shipyard in China and is scheduled for delivery in 2028.

Based on the advanced Norwegian SALT 310 design, the 123-meter OCV will be equipped with a DP2 dynamic positioning system, a 150-ton active heave-compensated offshore crane, a hangar for two Work Class ROVs, a hybrid 1,000-kWh battery system, and a methanol-ready propulsion design for future fuel flexibility.

Below deck, the vessel is configured to accommodate two 2,500-ton cable carousels, enabling swift deployment and seamless transitions between trenching, burial, and cable-laying operations.

The vessel can accommodate up to 123 people. Trenching and cable burial are vital steps in subsea cable installation, ensuring cables are safely positioned beneath the seabed.

From the vessel, an ROV trencher can be launched to execute these operations, working in synergy with DEME’s cable installation fleet.

“With more than 5,000 km of subsea cables installed across wind farms in Europe and the United States, DEME continues to support clients in delivering offshore projects efficiently and reliably. Building on this track record, the new OCV further enhances DEME’s cable installation capabilities and expands its versatile fleet of vessels and solutions,” said Hugo Bouvy, Managing Director Offshore Energy.