en.Wedoany.com Reported - Greek subsea and offshore service provider Asso.subsea recently announced that it has formally signed a shipbuilding contract with China Merchants Heavy Industry (Shenzhen) for the construction of the next-generation trenching support vessel "Andromeda". This agreement stems from the shipbuilding option clause previously agreed upon by both parties for the sister vessel "Avra". The new vessel is scheduled for delivery and operation in the second quarter of 2028, aiming to address the growing global demand for high-performance subsea trenching solutions in the energy infrastructure sector.
Headquartered in Greece, Asso.subsea has been deeply involved in subsea cable laying and offshore engineering services for many years. Currently, the company has established a scaled construction matrix at the China Merchants Heavy Industry Shenzhen shipyard. In addition to the newly contracted "Andromeda", vessels under construction at the same site include its sister vessel "Avra" and the new cable-laying vessel "Althea".
The "Andromeda" maintains highly consistent design specifications with the "Avra", featuring a 24-megawatt hybrid power system and a dual-redundant dynamic positioning DP-2 system. Its operational deck is equipped with advanced machinery, including a 4000-ton capacity cable carousel below deck and dual working decks. This configuration provides it with comprehensive capabilities to perform challenging subsea trenching, burial plow operations, and subsea intervention tasks.
By introducing an identical sister vessel, Asso.subsea is building parallel deployment capabilities on a global scale. This standardized, scaled fleet construction model offers global clients greater operational flexibility and resource scheduling redundancy, effectively mitigating potential project timeline risks caused by equipment limitations on single projects.
This contract reflects the consistent trend in the offshore equipment sector towards higher power and lower emissions. As offshore wind power and international cable projects demand higher construction efficiency, specialized vessels with hybrid power drives and the ability to handle complex working conditions are becoming core competitive resources. By ramping up investment in building a high-performance fleet in China, Asso.subsea not only strengthens its market share in the subsea trenching segment but also further solidifies its asset barriers as a leading global offshore service provider.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
