In June 2025 Megamas Resources announced a ship design contract with Norway-based Ulstein Design & Solutions AS to start the engineering phase on a fibre-optic cable-laying vessel (CLV) planned to be built at the Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven GmbH.
Capt. Tiew Sien Kheng, managing partner at Megamas, said:
‘The contract marks a significant milestone following the Letter of Intent (LOI) signed in May between Megamas and Lloyd Werft, paving the way for the potential construction of a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose cable laying vessel. Today’s agreement represents the first formal step toward realising this project.
‘Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, together with Lloyd Werft, will contribute its extensive expertise to deliver a high-specification, specialised vessel. Conceptual design work began in autumn 2023, centred on the ULSTEIN SX228 – a next-generation fibre-optic cable laying vessel (CLV).’
The ULSTEIN SX228 has been designed to meet the highest standards of efficiency and sustainability. The vessel will not only meet but exceed the expectations of the subsea telecommunications and renewable energy industries.
The ULSTEIN SX228 has a deadweight of 8,200 tonnes and a cable capacity of 5,500 tonnes. Measuring 121.7m in length with a 23m beam, the vessel has been specifically optimised for fibre-optic cable laying and is also prepared for future power cable operations. This includes an underdeck carousel integrated into the cable tanks.
Equipped with two firing lines and all necessary cable handling equipment within an enclosed working area, the vessel ensures safe and efficient operations in challenging offshore environments. Additional features include an ROV hangar for the cable trencher, a 50-tonne A-frame, and a bollard pull capacity of up to 120 tonnes for subsea ploughing.
