VARD delivers hybrid cable layer to Danish subsea specialist

Norway’s ship designer and shipbuilder VARD has delivered an advanced cable-laying vessel (CLV) to Denmark’s subsea specialist NCT Offshore, less than two years after the contract was signed.

NCT placed the order for the 95-meter-long CLV Freja with VARD in early 2023, with Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway, in charge of the design, Vard Tulcea in Romania building the hull, and final outfitting, commissioning and delivery carried out by Vard Langsten in Norway.

VARD reported on July 9 that it had launched the vessel at Vard Shipyards in Tulcea, after which it made its way to Norway from Romania.

In less than 18 months since the first steel was cut, the vessel has been assembled, outfitted, commissioned, and is ready to commence its maiden voyage towards Denmark where it will be further fitted and tested, including the remaining cable lay equipment, subsea package, and Seaonics W2W gangway system.

“We are proud to have the vessel delivered on time and budget. This achievement is the outcome of project teams who have been working together with a partnership mindset, with the emphasis placed on efficiency, collaboration, transparency, and commitment. In addition to VARD`s outstanding service we want to highlight the efforts of all of our suppliers such as Arcim, OilPower, and Argus,” said Alexander Cortes, Chief Commercial Officer at NCT Offshore.

The CLV will be capable of providing turnkey array cable transport and installation scopes of work for the offshore renewable industry, NCT said. It will be a diesel-electric DP2 vessel, fitted with a hybrid battery package, single-cabin accommodation for 60 persons, two cable carousels with 3.500+ ton cable carrying capacity, and an innovative walk-to-work system.