Chinese Shipyard Starts Building Asso.subsea’s New Cable-Laying Vessel

The China Merchants Heavy Industry shipyard has begun the construction of a DP 2 cable-laying vessel (CLV) ordered by Greece’s Asso.subsea for the offshore wind market.

The steel-cutting ceremony for Althea was held today, 5 November, at the CMHI shipyard on Mazhou Island, Shenzhen, China.

“The first steel cut for Althea marks the true beginning of an exciting journey,” said Project Manager Nikolaos Anastasiou. “This vessel, with its advanced DP-2 system and unique shallow-water aptitude, is purpose-built to meet the evolving challenges of the global offshore market. It represents our dedication to providing clients with innovative, reliable, and versatile solutions for the most complex subsea projects.”

Asso.subsea reported in January that it had signed the shipbuilding contract for the construction of the CLV, with delivery set for 2027.

The vessel will have a 12,000-tonne cable capacity in one, two, or three carousel divisions, designed for long sections and bundled cable laying. It will be equipped with a hybrid diesel and battery power generation plant, methanol-ready engines capable of running on bio-fuels and complying with IMO Tier III NOx emission standards, cold ironing capabilities and a number of energy-saving features.

Once delivered, Althea will join Ariadne and Atalanti in Asso.subsea’s cable-laying fleet.

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