Finnish firm to arm Jan De Nul’s subsea rock installation vessel with propulsion package

November 20, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Finland-headquartered propulsion specialist Steerprop has been entrusted with equipping a new subsea rock installation vessel with a complete propulsion package. Once constructed, this ship is destined to join the fleet of Jan De Nul, a dredging and offshore contractor.

The ordered propulsion package for Jan De Nul’s rock installation vessel, which will be constructed by Jiangsu Haixin Shipping Heavy Industry in China, is said to include the largest ducted propulsors ever produced by Steerprop.

Juho Rekola, Director, Sales & Project Management at Steerprop, commented: “When propulsion demand pushes the limits of engineering, that’s where Steerprop excels. Our track record—ranging from icebreakers to some of the world’s most powerful offshore vessels—demonstrates our ability to deliver beyond expectations.”

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The ship, which is expected to be the third of its kind in the dredging and offshore contractor’s fleet, is designed primarily to work in the offshore energy sector, installing rocks to protect cables on the seabed.

As a result, the propulsion system has to provide exceptional power and reliability capable of propelling a vessel of up to 37,000 DWT to meet the demanding operational profile, while also offering high efficiency during transit and precise maneuverability during installation operations.

Steerprop Pushing Propulsors; Source: Steerprop

Jan De Nul’s rock installation vessel will feature two main mechanical azimuth Steerprop Pushing Propulsors, each delivering 3,750 kW of power. With ducted propellers measuring 3.6 meters in diameter, these units are deemed to have been designed to deliver exceptional thrust and reliability under demanding operating conditions.

Jan Van de Velde, Director Newbuilding at Jan De Nul, elaborated: “Our decades of hands-on experience in subsea rock installation have enabled us to design this state-of-the-art vessel entirely in-house. Partnering once again with Steerprop ensures that we can rely on robust and efficient propulsion performance, meeting the exact requirements of our offshore energy projects.”

The propulsion package will also entail two Steerprop Tunnel Thrusters and two Steerprop Retractable Thrusters, said to ensure precise maneuverability and optimal performance across all operating profiles.

This order builds on the cooperation between Steerprop and Jan De Nul, which also selected the Finnish player’s full propulsion packages for two of its cable-laying vessels.