Seaonics lands ‘record-breaking’ contract for offshore newbuild quintet

January 28, 2025, by Dragana Nikše

Seaonics, a subsidiary of Norway’s ship designer and shipbuilder Vard, has inked a deal to supply electric lift and handling equipment for five walk-to-work offshore vessels under construction at Vard’s Vung Tau yard in Vietnam.

Described as “record-breaking” by Seaonics, the contract covers the delivery of five electric-controlled motion compensated (ECMC) gangways and five ECMC 3D cranes. This equipment will allow the vessels and their crew to provide maintenance, supply, and operational services to offshore oil and gas installations.

Vard’s Vung Tau yard in Vietnam has been tasked with building, equipping, sea trials, and delivering the five ships of the VARD 3 32 design ordered by Vard Group in November 2024. The ships are scheduled for delivery in 2027.

Seaonics Managing Director, Håkon Fauske, said: “This is a significant milestone for us and underscores our position as a leading supplier of advanced electric lift and handling equipment. We look forward to collaborating with the yard and shipowner and contributing to smarter, greener and safer operations in the offshore industry.”

As explained, ECMC systems ensure smooth and precise movements even in challenging sea conditions as they compensate for vessel movement by using DC grid and battery solutions directly from the vessel.

According to the Norwegian player, the simplified design reduces the time and effort required for cargo handling and personnel transfer. The cranes have a motion-compensated lifting capacity of 15-tonne 3D lift and 15-tonne motion-compensated subsea lift, and they feature an outreach of 30 meters, the same as gangways.

Seaonics says the latest contract brings the total number of ECMC gangways it has sold to 16 and ECMC cranes to 18 since their introduction to the market in 2023.

As for the firm’s parent company, Vard was hired by Island Offshore to build a second hybrid power ocean energy construction vessel (OECV) in August 2024, three months after ordering the first one.