DEME has ordered a new Offshore Construction Vessel (OCV) to expand its subsea cable installation capacity for the offshore wind market, according to the company’s release.
The vessel will perform trenching, burial, and cable-laying operations, supplementing DEME’s existing vessels Living Stone and Viking Neptun.
The 123-meter ship is based on the Norwegian SALT 310 design and will feature 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. Below deck, it will have two 2,500-ton cable carousels for faster deployment and transition between operations. The vessel will accommodate up to 123 people.
According to DEME, trenching and cable burial are key steps in subsea cable installation, ensuring cables are positioned safely beneath the seabed. An ROV trencher will be launched from the vessel to perform these operations in coordination with the fleet.
The ship will be built by PaxOcean at the Zhoushan shipyard in China and is scheduled for delivery in 2028.
Hugo Bouvy, Managing Director Offshore Energy, said: “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.”
DEME Group operates globally in offshore energy, dredging, environmental remediation, marine infrastructure, and concession activities related to offshore wind, marine infrastructure, green hydrogen, and seabed mineral resources. Headquartered in Belgium, DEME employs over 5,800 people and reported revenue of €4.1 billion with an EBITDA of €764 million in 2024.
PaxOcean is a Singapore-based shipbuilding and repair group established in 2007. It owns and operates shipyards in China and Indonesia, providing construction, repair, and conversion services for offshore and marine vessels. PaxOcean is a subsidiary of the Kuok Group.
