Taiwanese Company Dong Fang Offshore Orders Subsea Construction Vessel from Vard

Taiwanese owner and operator Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) has once again partnered with Fincantieri-controlled Norwegian shipbuilder Vard to commission a new subsea construction vessel. The subsidiary of Hung Hua Construction has a fleet of over 15 offshore vessels and has agreed to pay €113.5m ($126m) for the vessel, which is expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2027. Additionally, DFO has secured options for additional newbuilds.

Designed for Versatility

The new vessel is designed to perform a variety of tasks, including subsea operations, offshore wind operations and maintenance, as well as cable installation and repair in the offshore wind and telecoms sectors. Measuring 121.3 meters in length, the ship will be equipped with a 250 MT active heave compensated offshore crane, a 1,200 sq m work deck suitable for cable repair or lay spread, and ROV hangars for built-in ROVs on both sides. The vessel is also prepared for the installation of a motion-compensated gangway, an under-deck carousel, a large trencher, and a helideck.

Continued Partnership with Vard

This marks the third vessel that Vard is constructing for DFO, with the first two being commissioning service operations vessels that were contracted last May. The hull of the new vessel will be built at Vard Shipyards Romania – Braila, while the outfitting, commissioning, and delivery will take place at Vard Søviknes in Norway.