VARD Signs Contract for Customized Hybrid Cable Layer with Toyo Construction

Norwegian shipbuilder VARD, a subsidiary of Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri, has announced that it has signed a $200 million contract with Japanese construction company Toyo Construction. The contract is for the design and construction of a state-of-the-art hybrid cable lay and construction vessel.

The vessel, based on the VARD 9 15 design, has been tailored to cater to the expanding Japanese offshore wind market while maintaining global operational capabilities. Its hull design has been optimized to enable operation in both shallow and deep waters for floating offshore wind power generation and DC power transmission projects. The vessel will be equipped for various operations, including inter-array and HVAC export cable laying, interconnector cable laying, cable burial, and construction work.

Measuring 150m in length and with a beam of 28m, the vessel boasts a cable carrying capacity of 9000 tons. In addition to its primary function as a self-propelled cable-laying vessel, it features a high-performance crane and a spacious deck area, making it suitable for a range of applications such as ground-based foundation work, floating offshore wind mooring, and marine resource-related projects. The vessel will also be equipped with a 4-point mooring system and a helideck.

The vessel has also been developed with the latest technologies to reduce its carbon footprint during operations and port mooring. It incorporates a large battery pack, a shore supply connection, and a state-of-the-art energy management system, resulting in higher energy efficiency and reduced emissions of CO2, NOx, and SOx.

“The cable layer is a modern and complex vessel built to high standards according to Japanese regulations, primarily for the Japanese offshore windfarm and international market,” said Torgeir Haugan, SVP Sales & Marketing at VARD. “This presents a unique opportunity for both Toyo and VARD to establish themselves as key players in the Japanese windfarm market.”

Vard Electro, the high technology subsidiary of the VARD group, is also involved in the project, providing SeaQ equipment and solutions, including SeaQ Power with energy storage systems, switchboards, and shore connection.

Toyo Construction is a Japanese construction company specializing in offshore construction, including container terminals and marine airports. They aim to become a leader in the offshore wind business as part of their growth strategy outlined in their new medium-term Business plan.

“We are very pleased to place an order with VARD to build a self-propelled cable-laying vessel, which will be Toyo Construction’s largest work vessel,” said Toyo Construction’s president, Haruhisa Obayashi. “We expect that VARD’s world-class design and engineering capabilities will enable the vessel to play an important role in the construction of offshore wind power generation facilities in Japan.”

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