Construction of DEME’s new offshore installation vessel ‘Orion’ has started with the official keel laying ceremony held at COSCO in China on Friday.
The vessel will be deployed by DEME’s subsidiary GeoSea for the construction of the offshore wind farms, to service the oil and gas industry and for decommissioning of offshore installations.
The Orion vessel, set for delivery in 2019, will feature a 5,000 tonnes crane that will enable it to install large wind turbine foundations.
“Orion will feature an unrivalled combination of exceptionally high transport and load capacity, impressive lifting heights and green technology,” DEME said.
The 216,5 meters long Orion, featuring DP3 capability, can accommodate a crew of up to 131 people.