Van Oord’s ‘Dig It’ trencher (seen here on another vessel) has been mobilised on Eidesvik’s Subsea Viking
Owners operating trenching vessels expect the next few years to be good ones
The offshore wind market has been become a major driver of demand for vessels capable of hosting trenching equipment and systems, as recent deals attest.
In July 2022, Eidesvik was awarded a five-year contract for the vessel Subsea Viking, which will be used to support Van Oord on offshore wind work and be the main platform for its ‘Dig It’ trencher.
The five-year contract with Van Oord Offshore Wind will commence Q1 2023. In addition, Van Oord has been granted options for further extensions and on certain terms, a call option for the vessel after the firm period.
Eidesvik president and chief executive Gitte Gard Talmo says the deal will expand Eidesvik’s presence in the renewables market. Van Oord says the vessel will be deployed on a range of projects, as a trenching support vessel and will become the main platform for ‘Dig-It.’
After an intensive period of maintenance following the vessel’s acquisition, Asso Subsea says its new vessel Athena is now ready for its first deployment. During the maintenance period, preparatory work was also performed for the vessel’s conversion to a dedicated trenching support vessel. The company said that process is due to be completed in the next month.
The conversion will include the installation of a new 170-tonne A-frame which – combined with an existing 150-tonne active heave-compensated A&R winch – will enable Athena to handle a new AssoTrencher IV Mk13 mechanical trencher and the group’s multi-function plough for boulder clearance and precutting operations.
Asso Subsea already operates several trenchers and is expanding and upgrading its trenching offering with the AssoTrencher IV Mk13. The company also recently completed a full refurbishment of its AssoTrencher IV Mk9.
In a July 2022 call about its latest financial results, Helix Energy Solutions says the North Sea – and the offshore wind market – continue to provide plenty of opportunities for trenching. “The second half of the year is shaping up nicely,” it says. “We expect strong utilisation for vessels and services, leading to a significantly improved market in 2023.”
Horizon Enabler was mobilised with a T-1200 trenching system and commenced work on oil and gas and renewables trenching projects in the second quarter. The vessel has contracted for trenching work on oil and gas and renewables projects into Q4 2022. The company also says there will be a significant volume of trenching projects in the market between 2023 and 2028 and it believes it is well-positioned to secure a good portion of the work. “The renewables market globally is actively contracting a large portion this work,” it says. “We are moving into a tightening market when we expect increasingly high demand for our services.”
More recently, AD Ports Group signed an agreement with National Marine Dredging Company to establish a joint venture dedicated to delivering subsea services – including trenching – in selected international markets, including the renewables sector.
