Van Oord has ordered a new cable-laying vessel. The ship will be built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania and will be completed at the end of 2014. The vessel is intended for the installation of electricity cables for offshore wind farms. Van Oord is making preparations for the Gemini offshore wind farm, which will be constructed 60km north of Schiermonnikoog, one of the Dutch Wadden Islands. The cable-laying vessel will be deployed at that site.
The multi-purpose vessel will measure 120m by 28m and have a dynamic positioning system. It will be equipped with a cable carousel of more than 5,000 tonnes, and a heavy crane. 90 people will be accommodated on board. The new cable layer is based on the Damen Offshore Carrier, a new multipurpose vessel design with a flush working deck and Heavy Lift or RoRo transport capability.
