The Dutch family-owned international marine contractor Van Oord has placed an order with Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore in China for two next generation subsea rock installation vessels.
The aim is to strengthen its position in subsea rock installation and meet the rising global demand for offshore energy infrastructure protection, according to the company’s release.
The new vessels ordered by Van Oord will be equipped with a substantial loading capacity of 35,000 tonnes and will be capable of operating on methanol.
The first vessel is expected to enter the market in 2028, with a second vessel expected to follow within one year.
The ships will be capable of handling large rock sizes and feature a DP-2 dynamic positioning system. This advanced system will enable the vessels to maintain precise positioning despite challenging conditions such as waves, wind and currents.
The sustainable design of the vessels includes multi-fuel engines (biofuel and methanol), a DC-grid with large battery storage capacity, and an energy-efficient hull design and rock handling system.
Van Oord currently operates three subsea rock installation vessels: Stornes, Nordnes and Bravenes.
