DEME’s new offshore construction vessel to be built in China, delivery in 2028

September 19, 2025, by Nadja Skopljak

DEME Group has ordered a new offshore construction vessel (OCV) that will be capable of performing trenching, burial, and cable-laying operations and is set to have a methanol-ready propulsion design for future fuel flexibility.

The OCV will be constructed by PaxOcean at the Zhoushan shipyard in China, and will, once delivered in 2028, complement DEME’s existing cable installation vessels Living Stone and Viking Neptun.

Based on the Norwegian SALT 310 design, the vessel will be 123 meters long and will be equipped with a DP2 dynamic positioning system, a 150-ton active heave-compensated offshore crane, a hangar for two work-class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), a hybrid 1,000-kWh battery system, and a methanol-ready propulsion design for future fuel flexibility.

It will be able to accommodate up to 123 people and is configured to sport two 2,500-ton cable carousels.

DEME said that the investment was sizable, meaning it represents a value of between €50 million and €150 million.

Hugo Bouvy, Managing Director Offshore Energy at DEME, said: “With more than 5,000 km of subsea cables installed across wind farms in Europe and the United States, DEME continues to support clients in delivering offshore projects efficiently and reliably. Building on this track record, the new OCV further enhances DEME’s cable installation capabilities and expands its versatile fleet of vessels and solutions.”

Of note, PaxOcean unveiled at the beginning of this year that it had signed shipbuilding contracts for two OCVs with a “renowned European shipowner”, including an option for two additional vessels.