A charter agreement between expanding subsea contractor DeepOcean and Maersk Supply Service has triggered an order for a Damen Offshore Carrier DOC 8500 – the second order for this new ship design from Damen Shipyards Group.
The DOC 8500 will extend DeepOcean’s capabilities in the larger cable laying end of the market, representing a new focus on Interconnector projects, in addition to oil & gas sector and renewables work. The specially-equipped vessel will be delivered from the Damen Galati yard in Romania.
Owned and operated by Maersk Supply Service, the vessel will become the latest addition to the 60-plus strong Maersk offshore support vessel fleet.
René Berkvens, Damen Shipyards Group Chief Executive Officer, says: “We are very proud of being contracted by Maersk Supply Service and DeepOcean for this cable layer. We really believe in the new design, a result of our continuous R&D efforts. Because of the flexibility of the concept, the customer can incorporate a large number of purpose-specific demands to suit his specific needs. This particular vessel has been adapted in close cooperation with our clients, drawing on the expertise of all three companies to create a state-of-the-art Offshore Construction Vessel.”
Lasting relationship
Maersk Supply Service Chief Executive Officer Carsten Plougmann Andersen says: “This project builds on our long lasting relationship with DeepOcean, supporting their subsea operations. We look forward to expanding our cooperation with this highly valued customer and entering into a close working relationship with Damen Shipyards Group. We are convinced that the cooperation between all three parties will result in an efficient, reliable and very competitive vessel.”
Tony Inglis, DeepOcean UK Managing Director, says: “This next generation cable lay vessel in combination with our survey and trenching capabilities will enable us to bundle our services for customers in the offshore power cable and umbilical markets. The versatile new vessel will be well suited for installation and burial projects using its 7,000 tonne carousel from land-fall to deepwater and also in remote geographical locations.
“The vessel is designed to meet the high standards demanded by North Sea Oil and Gas customers. We are delighted to be working with Maersk Supply Service and Damen to bring this high capability vessel to the market.”
