DEME orders new offshore installation vessel in China

Marine engineering group DEME has ordered the “next generation” offshore installation vessel, to be named Orion, from China’s COSCO.

DEME said on Wednesday that the Orion would feature a combination of high transport and load capacity, large lifting heights and green technology.

According to the company, the vessel is set to be delivered by COSCO in 2019.

The Orion will be deployed by DEME’s subsidiary GeoSea for the construction of the largest offshore wind farms, to service the oil and gas industry, and for decommissioning of offshore installations.

With a total installed capacity of 44,180 kW, the vessel will be equipped with a crane with a lifting capacity of 3,000 tonnes at more than 50 meters. The loads can be lifted to a height of more than 170 meters.

In order to accommodate high transport and load capacity, deck space aboard the vessel has been maximized. The company noted that the vessel will be able to take the heaviest monopiles, jackets, wind turbine components, and structures in a single shipment.

Environmental considerations have been an important element of the vessel design with dual fuel engines and the ability to run on natural gas (LNG). It will have a Green Passport and Clean Design notation.

It will also have other environmental innovations on board, such as a waste heat recovery system that converts heat from the exhaust gasses and cooling water to electrical energy. The 216.5-meter long Orion, featuring DP3 capability, can accommodate a crew of up to 131 people.

Luc Vandenbulcke, Managing Director GeoSea, said: “With (the) Orion we will be positioned to meet the future requirements of our customers. Orion will be capable of installing mega monopiles at greater depths. With DP3 technology the offshore installation vessel can continue operations under the most challenging conditions.”