ONS 2026: Kongsberg Maritime to equip new Solstad-SBM Offshore deepwater construction vessel

The vessel will feature integrated propulsion, power, dynamic positioning and mooring installation systems designed for deepwater construction and subsea operations.
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Aug. 26, 2026
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Why this news matters:

  • The project highlights ongoing investment in next-generation offshore construction and installation vessels, particularly for deepwater and subsea developments.

  • Kongsberg's first deployment of its XT140 permanent-magnet-powered anchor-handling winches signals continued innovation in offshore vessel efficiency and performance.

 

Courtesy Kongsberg Maritime
rendering of the new Solstad Offshore-SBM Offshore multipurpose deepwater installation and construction vessel

The newbuild deepwater installation and construction vessel for Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore is designed for subsea construction, mooring installation and heavy offshore operations, supported by Kongsberg Maritime's integrated marine systems and deck equipment. 

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to provide a fully integrated package of marine, propulsion, automation, power and deck equipment for a new multipurpose deepwater installation and construction vessel being developed by Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore.

The contract was announced during the ONS 2026 event in Stavanger, Norway. 

The vessel, which will be built in China, is designed for deepwater installation, subsea construction and heavy offshore operations, with advanced mooring installation capabilities a key feature of the design.

Kongsberg's scope includes dynamic positioning, navigation, bridge, automation and thruster-control systems, along with switchboards, generators, propulsion motors and a battery energy storage system. The propulsion package will feature twin controllable-pitch propellers supported by azimuth thrusters. 

The company will also supply anchor-handling winches, shark jaws, tow pins and a newly developed low-tilt ROV launch and recovery system. According to Kongsberg, the project will mark the first deployment of anchor-handling winches powered by its in-house XT140 permanent magnet motor technology. 

Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, president of Kongsberg Maritime, said the integrated technology package is intended to improve operational efficiency, reliability and safety during complex offshore installation and mooring operations. 

Kongsberg Maritime is exhibiting at booth 7200 at the Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) event this week in Stavanger, Norway.

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This piece was created with the help of generative AI tools and edited by our content team for clarity and accuracy.

About the Author

Ariana Hurtado
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Ariana Hurtado

Editor-in-Chief

With more than a decade of copy editing, project management and journalism experience, Ariana Hurtado is a seasoned managing editor born and raised in the energy capital of the world—Houston, Texas. She currently serves as editor-in-chief of Offshore, overseeing the editorial team, its content and the brand's growth from a digital perspective. 

Utilizing her editorial expertise, she manages digital media for the Offshore team. She also helps create and oversee new special industry reports and revolutionizes existing supplements, while also contributing content to Offshore's magazine, newsletters and website as a copy editor and writer. 

Prior to her current role, she served as Offshore's editor and director of special reports from April 2022 to December 2024. Before joining Offshore, she served as senior managing editor of publications with Hart Energy. Prior to her nearly nine years with Hart, she worked on the copy desk as a news editor at the Houston Chronicle.

She graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Houston.

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