Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) has signed a shipbuilding contract with Norwegian shipyard Westcon for a new subsea and cable-laying vessel (CLV), the company said. Westcon will take over and complete construction, with delivery expected in the first quarter of 2027.
DFO said the order replaces installation capacity lost in Taiwan after DeepOcean exercised its 2028 option for the Orient Adventurer in Europe.
“The decision for this new CLV is driven by the successful extension of the Orient Adventurer’s contract, and as such a new vessel is required to replace her for subsea cable projects DFO have already secured in 2028 in APAC,” said DFO’s chief executive.
With the addition of the new unit, DFO’s fleet of large construction vessels over 100 metres will increase from two to seven by 2027. The company’s current fleet includes two large CLVs, two construction support vessels with cable repair capability, three service operations vessels, one DP1 survey vessel, two anchor handling tugs, seven crew transfer vessels, one cargo barge, and one newly acquired DP2 multicat.
DFO said the expansion is intended to strengthen its subsea installation capacity in the Asia-Pacific region.
