Van Oord has ordered a new subsea rock installation vessel. Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group Shanghai will build the vessel at its Ningbo yard in China, with delivery scheduled for 2016.
Subsea rock installation is a proven technique for the protection and stabilisation of offshore structures and pipelines, and is one of Van Oord’s main activities for its clients in the oil and gas industry.
The vessel, which has a DP-3 (dynamic positioning) system, will be suitable for installation of a wide range of rock sizes through a fall pipe or a tremie pipe at the side of the vessel.
With a deadweight of 14,000 tons, a length of 154 metres and a beam of 28 metres, the vessel can operate in water depths of more than 600 meters. There is accommodation on board for 60 people.
At the moment Van Oord deploys three SRI-vessels: Stornes (27,000 tons), Nordnes (26,000 tons) and Tertnes (11,000 tons).