Malaysia’s Megamas Resources Awards Ulstein Design & Solutions Ship Design Contract
Malaysia’s Megamas Resources has awarded Norwegian Ulstein Design & Solutions with a ship design contract for a fiber-optic cable-laying vessel (CLV) that will be built by German shipyard Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven.
The vessel, designed as ULSTEIN SX228, will have a deadweight of 8,200 tons and a cable capacity of 5,500 tons. It will feature an underdeck carousel integrated into the cable tanks and will measure 121.7 meters in length with a 23-meter beam. The CLV will be capable of fiber-optic cable laying and prepared for future power cable operations.
The conceptual design work began in autumn 2023, and the new contract means that the engineering phase can now commence.
“The contract marks a significant milestone following the Letter of Intent (LOI) signed in May between Megamas and Lloyd Werft, paving the way for the potential construction of a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose cable laying vessel. Today’s agreement represents the first formal step toward realizing this project,” said Capt. Tiew Sien Kheng, Managing Partner at Megamas.
“Developed in collaboration with Crewstone International Private Equity & Investments, the project addresses the global shortage of specialized offshore vessels. These vessels will play a key role in supporting both the renewable energy and subsea telecommunications industries.”
The CLV will be equipped with two firing lines and all necessary cable handling equipment within an enclosed working area. It will also have an ROV hangar for the cable trencher, a 50-ton A-frame, and a bollard pull capacity of up to 120 tons for subsea plowing. The vessel is set to comply with DNV’s Clean (Design) and Recyclable class notations, with delivery expected by the end of 2027.
Megamas Resources and Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven also have an option for a second vessel.