DeepOcean has upgraded a multifunctional subsea support and construction vessel it chartered from Olympic Subsea with dedicated cable-lay and installation capacity for offshore wind.
The two Norwegian companies entered into a two-year time charter agreement for Olympic Ares in March 2023, with an option for extension, under which the vessel provided subsea inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR), light construction and recycling services to DeepOcean customers.
DeepOcean reported today, 29 January, that it had mobilised and converted the subsea construction vessel by adding a fully functional cable-lay spread, enabling the installation and repair of inter-array cables across offshore wind farms.
“It is important for DeepOcean because this is a reintroduction into the renewables market, so having a suitable vessel with equipment on board that can do that safely in a modern market is the main objective,” said Scott Gooding , Project Manager at DeepOcean.
The vessel now features an integrated modular cable lay highway, quadrant handling system for second-end deployment and pull-in, high-capacity cable carousel, 15Te bi-directional lay tensioner, 4m MBR quadrant and retracting stern chutes, 20Te active heave compensated quadrant winch, integrated control cabin for all cable handling equipment, as well as 250-tonne and 50-tonne subsea cranes.
DeepOcean recently mobilized Olympic Ares for the provision of operations and maintenance (O&M) services at Vattenfall’s European offshore wind farm.
The 115-metre vessel is of MT 6022 MKII design and was built at Kleven Verft in 2013. It features diesel electric frequency-controlled propulsion and can accommodate 102 persons.