Vard, the Norwegian subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group, has announced the signing of a new contract with Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) for the design and construction of an offshore subsea operations vessel. The agreement includes an option for additional vessels.
This will be the third vessel Vard is building for DFO, following two commissioning service operations vessels ordered in May 2024. The new vessel, based on the VARD 3 39 design, will serve as a versatile platform for subsea operations, maintenance work, and cable laying in the offshore wind and telecommunications sectors.
The vessel will be 121.3 metres long with a beam of 23 metres and a maximum speed of 14 knots. It will accommodate up to 130 personnel across 90 cabins. The 1,200 m² working deck will be fully equipped for cable repair and offshore operations, featuring a 250-tonne active heave-compensated offshore crane, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) hangars on both sides, and a motion-compensated gangway system.
The design also includes an underdeck carousel for cable installation, a large subsea trencher, and a helicopter deck. The hull will be built at Vard’s shipyard in Brăila, Romania, with final outfitting and delivery scheduled at Vard Søviknes in Norway in early Q2 2027.
