Van Oord’s new cable-laying vessel Calypso is en route to the Vard Brattvaag yard in Norway to complete construction after a successful, safe launch at the Vard Tulcea shipyard in Romania last week. This next-generation, custom-built vessel will be a key strategic addition to Van Oord’s offshore wind fleet, equipped with the latest sustainable technologies. Construction is progressing well on schedule, and the vessel is expected to be operational from the end of 2023.
The Calypso is Van Oord’s second cable-laying vessel in addition to the Nexus. It measures 131 metres in length and 28 metres across the beam and will be Dutch-flagged. The new DP2 vessel will be fitted with a carousel on deck and a second, below-deck cable carousel, for a total cable-carrying capacity of 8,000 tonnes.
Offshore wind is a crucial contributor to global climate change targets. By investing in state-of-the-art sustainable technology, Van Oord supports the energy transition and makes offshore wind more competitive. The Calypso will mainly be deployed to install inter-array grid and export cables for offshore wind projects, including high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables. Van Oord’s highly innovative cable trenchers can also be operated from the vessel.
Sustainable technology
The Calypso has been designed with the latest sustainable technologies to reduce its carbon footprint during operations and when on port standby. In addition to its ability to run on biofuel, this hybrid vessel has future-ready engines with built-in flexibility to accommodate e-fuels. It will have a large battery pack, a shore supply connection, and a state-of-the-art energy management system. This sustainable setup will result in a more energy-efficient vessel with significantly reduced CO2, NOx and SOx (carbon, nitrogen and sulphur oxides) emissions.
Original announcement: Van Oord
Image: Courtesy of Van Oord
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