International shipping firm orders cable-laying vessel from Vard

Vard, a subsidiary of Fincantieri, has signed a contract with an international shipping company for the design and construction of a new cable-laying vessel.

The 95-meter-long vessel will be built entirely by the Vard network, including the main systems and equipment.

It will comprise 60 single cabins, with a bollard pull of over 60 tons and a total of 3,700 tons of cable installation equipment.

According to Fincantieri, the vessel will be able to reach 14 knots of speed and will stand out for the solutions installed on board, including the DP2 positioning and seakeeping system, an advanced standard of the International Maritime Organization.

Delivery is scheduled for 2024.

“This contract is another encouraging evidence of the strategic solidity of the new business plan. In fact, it is awarded just a few days after announcing the order for four vessels that will operate in the wind farms from another primary client,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri.

“This confirms the great turmoil the entire offshore sector is experiencing, as well as Fincantieri’s ability to seize these opportunities thanks to its specific expertise. We believe that this market has very promising growth outlook, as it channels global macro-trends such as digitalization, energy transition and technological primacy, which the Group has identified as cornerstones for looking to the future in a systematic way.”

Earlier this month, Norwegian owner and operator of vessels serving the offshore wind industry, Edda Wind, placed a €250 million order with Vard for four new commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs), with options for ordering up to four additional CSOVs.

Vard is also building a new cable layer for Italian cabling giant Prysmian Group, the cable-laying vessel Calypso for Van Oord, as well as Ocean Infinity’s high-tech Armada fleet.