Newbuild cycle reshapes cable lay vessel fleet for deepwater and offshore wind demand

By Wei Huang, ABS

The aging cable-lay vessel (CLV) sector is entering one of its most consequential newbuild cycles in decades. With deepwater projects representing the majority of new offshore development, the subsea infrastructure connecting these assets to shore will depend on an advanced class of CLVs.

The demand is substantial. Subsea market spending is projected to exceed $42 billion from 2024 to 2027, according to Rystad Energy. The International Energy Agency (IEA) anticipates global offshore wind capacity reaching 560 GW by 2040. Recent order books confirm that a diverse range of specialized vessels are needed for both fixed and floating projects globally.

Specialized vessels for demanding operations

CLVs are the workhorses behind the world’s expanding offshore energy network. Every offshore wind farm, subsea interconnector and transoceanic data link relies on them.

As capacity tightens, the global CLV fleet is aging and demand for modern, digitalized vessels is growing, especially in Europe. The average fleet age is approximately 25 years, with most vessels on order scheduled for delivery this year. Within the fiber-optic segment, only a few newer vessels will be available over the next two years.

Five offshore trends driving the evolution of CLVs

1. Offshore wind: Array cables, export/high-voltage direct current (HVDC) links and inter-array networks require increasingly specialized vessels with higher capacity and longer-lay systems.
2. Grid interconnectors: Cross-border HVDC transmission creates demand for heavy-lift and deepwater cable installation.
3. Subsea power electrification: As operators electrify platforms and floating production units, subsea power cabling networks must expand.
4. Telecom and data: New fiber-optic projects sustain this segment, with offshore data centers potentially adding further demand.
5. Cable repairs and replacements: Growing numbers of end-of-life assets require renewal, demanding digitally enabled vessels for next-generation requirements.

Next-gen cable-lay fleet

New CLVs are entering service, classed for safety, efficiency and reliability:

• Flexible lay CLVs offer greater reel capacity, improved motion compensation, and a wider handling range across cable products and flexible pipe.
• Heavy-lift and deepwater CLVs feature larger turntables, stronger tensioners and more powerful cranes for heavier, higher-voltage DC cables.
• Multipurpose vessels combine trenching, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and survey capabilities on a single hull, reducing vessel count and compressing project schedules.
• Specialty conversions retrofit existing hulls with lay systems, cable tanks and dynamic positioning (DP) upgrades, bringing capacity to market faster than newbuilds.

Classification must keep pace with new designs and operational demands. ABS assigns a specific Cable Lay Notation within its Rules for Building and Classing Marine Vessels Part 5D Specialized Offshore Services, giving CLVs a dedicated classification pathway that addresses stability calculations, station-keeping, loading conditions, deck arrangements and equipment specifications.

Additional safety rules and guides include DP, hybrid and battery-electric power systems, environmental protection, hazardous materials inventory, and alternative fuel readiness.

In March 2026, ABS published the Technical Standard for Subsea Power Cables. Subsea power cables are the critical infrastructure for offshore transmission systems. This new technical standard provides guidance across the full cable life-cycle—from design and manufacturing through installation, operation and end-of-life management—and supports long-term reliability through risk assessment, certification and engineering services. The subsea cable itself remains a frontier where standards and design accountability are still catching up with the pace of deployment. This technical standard addresses the gap.

Powering the energy transition from the seabed up

As grids modernize, energy systems become more interconnected and critical infrastructure moves farther offshore, the CLV fleet is a key enabler of the energy transition.

Class societies are supporting this trajectory, helping CLV owners and operators navigate evolving regulations, integrate hybrid and alternative fuel systems, improve operational efficiencies and maintain the safety standards that underpin every cable laid on the ocean floor.

Cables may be invisible once they reach the seabed, but the vessels that put them there, and the standards that govern how they do it, remain foundational to offshore energy’s future.