Van Oord expanding subsea rock placement vessel fleet
Van Oord has ordered two new subsea rock installations to cater for growing requirements worldwide for offshore energy infrastructure protection.
Both will be capable of handling large sizes of rocks, with a loading capacity of 35,000 metric tons, and a DP-2 system to maintain precise positioning of the vessels in strong waves, wind and currents.
According to the company, these capabilities will also make the vessels suited to long-distance projects, with minimized round trips, reduced emissions and lower costs anticipated per installed rock volume.
The vessels will also feature multi-fuel engines capable of using biofuel and methanol, a DC-grid with large battery storage capacity, and an energy-efficient hull design and rock handling system, all restricting CO2 emissions.
Shipbuilder Yantai CIMC Raffles in China is constructing both vessels, with the first due to be ready for offshore operations in 2028, followed by the second in 2029.
Van Oord has been performing subsea rock installation since the 1970s. Its current fleet comprises the Bravenes, Norndes and Stornes vessels.
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