Van Oord's Two Subsea Rock Installation Vessels to Be Delivered from 2028

en.Wedoany.com Reported - During WindEnergy Hamburg, Van Oord named two next-generation flexible fallpipe vessels: Vindnes and Vestnes. The two specialized vessels are scheduled to be delivered in 2028 and 2029 respectively, expanding Van Oord's subsea rock installation capacity and serving the growth of offshore wind, interconnector and critical energy infrastructure projects worldwide.

The new vessel names follow the naming tradition of Van Oord's subsea rock installation fleet, complementing existing vessels such as Nordnes, Stornes and Bravenes. Vindnes and Vestnes are derived from the meanings of wind and west, echoing both the fleet's maritime character and the future of offshore energy; the two names symbolize the connection between Van Oord's long-standing expertise in seabed intervention and its commitment to supporting the energy transition.

As offshore wind farms continue to move into more distant waters and grow in scale, demand for reliable seabed intervention solutions is increasing. Since the 1970s, Van Oord has pioneered the field of subsea rock installation, operations used to protect and stabilize offshore energy infrastructure. More than 50 years of operational experience, combined with the industry's largest fleet of specialized flexible fallpipe vessels, enables the company to continue setting the benchmark in seabed intervention.

Unlike much of the recent market capacity added through converted vessels, Vindnes and Vestnes were designed as dedicated subsea rock installation vessels from the keel-laying stage. The purpose-built approach allows Van Oord to incorporate the latest lessons from decades of operational experience into the vessel design, improving safety, operational efficiency, installation performance and future fuel flexibility. The two vessels have a cargo capacity of 35,000 tonnes and are optimized to maximize project productivity while minimizing environmental impact; the design focus is not merely on vessel size, but on balancing cargo capacity, installation speed, fuel efficiency and offshore workability to reduce the total cost and emissions per tonne of rock installed.

The new vessels will feature advanced automation, smart sensors and a DP2 positioning system for high-precision rock placement; multi-fuel engines, battery energy storage and energy-saving design will support low-emission operations.

At present, the construction of the two vessels is being undertaken by Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore in China. The first vessel is expected to be delivered in 2028, and the second in 2029. Once in service, the two vessels will together help Van Oord meet future offshore challenges and further strengthen its position in the field of subsea rock installation.