Construction of the hull, superstructure, and all major steel fabrication was carried out in Poland and the vessel towed to Holland for completion. Much of the fitting out was undertaken under-cover in the Gorinchem workshops, with the final commissioning undertaken at Hardinxveld.

Voe Viking is 26.0m in length overall with a beam of 11.5m, minimum draft of 2.25m and is virtually rectangular in planform, with heavily radiused and fendered corners. The bottom plating is reinforced to enable the vessel to take the ground without damage and the bow is shaped to enhance the vessel's seakeeping characteristics. Three shallow tunnels are formed at the stern to accommodate the triple screw propulsion nozzles, shafts and rudders.

The hull is divided into five main watertight compartments with integral tanks provided for 110m 3of fuel, 55m 3of water ballast, 52m 3of fresh water, 9.2m 3of sewage and 1.7m 3ofbilge water. Three substantial 'push knees' have been built into the bow and the spacing of the port side knees will allow the vessel to 'dock' securely on the cylindrical bases of wind generator piles and maintain its position under power from the port engine. Two 550mm diameter 'Spuds' 15m in length, one forward and one aft, enable the craft to be quickly and efficiently held in position whilst working in shallow water during survey and core sampling operations.

Deck space has been kept as free from obstructions as possible, with the working areas protected by hardwood sheathing.

Provision has been made to carry five standard 6m ISO containers in predetermined locations where they will not inhibit normal towing or anchor-handling operations. Rollers are fitted for lifting over bow and stern, each with a diameter of 1000mm and safe working load of 150 tonnes.

The deck layout also allows large dredging pipelines to be taken onboard, using the two cranes, through the full length of the vessel and not athwart ships. This enables flange connections to be aligned and repairs made more easily and if necessary the vessel can proceed along a pipeline making connections and/or disconnecting or repairing as it goes.

Voe Viking is fitted with three Cummins KTA-19MO main engines running at 1800rev/min to produce a total of 2400bhp.

All three engines have a closed cooling water system to enable operation in shallow water and are electrically started. Power is transmitted via Reintjes WAF 464 gearboxes, with a 5.591:1 reduction, to fixed pitch propellers of 1700mm diameter rotating within fixed 'Optima' nozzles. The steering system utilises three rudders and handling is enhanced by the installation of a hydraulically driven 'gill type' bowthruster.

Gerlien van Tiem supplied the unit, rated at 200kW and having a maximum thrust of 2.9 tonnes.

Performance figure specify a bollard pull of 33 tonnes and a maximum speed of 10 knots.

With the power available the vessel would not normally be operated on all three engines at full speed unless towing. During normal transit voyages a suitable cruising speed is achieved using only the centre engine at full engine power and efficiency. While in harbour and manoeuvring only the two wing engines are used and if full bollard pull is required all three engines can be used. This system ensures the three Cummins engines are only run at their most efficient settings.

Also accommodated in the spacious engine room are two Cummins 6 BT 5.9D diesels driving Stamford generator sets of 89kVA, both delivering 220/380v at 50 cycles. An additional Cummins N14-M (480bhp) auxiliary diesel powers the deck hydraulic system. Two air compressors are installed, a Clarke SE45 unit with a capacity of 40cfm and one of 7cfm by ABAC. Pumping arrangements are installed to enable the rapid transfer of fuel and fresh water through separate hose reels mounted on the superstructure above the working deck.

The deck equipment outfit aboard Voe Viking is impressive in both capacity and layout. Two single drum winches are installed, one for anchor-handling and the other for towing. A massive hydraulically powered, two-speed, anchor-handling winch by ACB winch has a single partitioned drum with two diameters. The larger portion of the drum has a maximum line pull of 100 tonnes at 4.6m/min or 19 tonnes at 16m/min and carries a steel wire rope of 56mm diameter and 100m in length. A 40mm diameter wire of 400m in length is accommodated on the smaller portion, giving a line pull of 50 tonnes at 2.9m/min or 15 tonnes at 20m/min. The winch is located amidships and close to the vessel's centreline and the wire can be deployed over the bow or stern if required.

Towing operations are undertaken using a Ridderinkhof winch with a 30 tonnes line pull, mounted diagonally just aft of the exhaust uptakes. The single drum has a 36mm diameter steel wire towline of 500m in length which in operation is led aft via a heavy duty horizontal sheave on the centreline. Two other strategically positioned sheaves allow the towing wire to be taken forward or to give additional flexibility in the use of the tugger winch. Both winches can be controlled remotely from the wheelhouse. A Mampaey DCX quick release tow hook with a 33 tonnes SWL is also fitted for secondary use. A tugger winch and capstan are provided to assist in handling equipment and towing gear.

The two hydraulic deck cranes provided are an exceptional feature of this new vessel and as such it must rate as one of the most powerful 'Multi-Cats' ever in terms of lifting capacity. Both are Effer model 180000-3S knuckle boom cranes of equal capacity and reach, with one located amidships and the other on the port bow. Rated nominally at 180 tonnes/metre the cranes can lift 10 tonnes at full reach of 16m or 32 tonnes at 5.6m. This installation affords enormous lifting capacity in all of the vital areas around the vessel and simplifies operations such as buoy handling, anchor deployment and supporting marine construction. The midships crane is equipped with a small (1 tonne) wire hoist for handling stores and both cranes can be operated individually by remote control.

One of the strengths of the 'Multi-Cat' concept is the flexibility available in placing deck equipment and even the superstructure. On this vessel the position of the main superstructure and wheelhouse has been chosen to encroach as little as possible on the working areas on deck, fore and aft, and yet afford excellent visibility from the wheelhouse. In the case of Voe Viking that chosen location is on the port side and virtually amidships. The exhaust uptakes for main and auxiliary engines are located, unobtrusively, in a single casing aft of the superstructure.

The wheelhouse affords excellent all round vision and has control positions fore and aft giving access to all of the main propulsion and winch controls. A comprehensive bridge electronics package includes two Furuno FR 1505 Mk III radars, two Furuno GPS sets, a GP-80 & GP-33, and a Furuno FCV 581 L echosounder.

The magnetic compass is an Observator Kotter, the gyro compass a Tokimec ESN 110N and the autopilot a Sea Pilot 75.

A Seiwa Barramundi chart plotter is also fitted. Communications equipment includes two Sailor RT 4822 radios, three waterproof ICOM handsets, a Single Side Band Yaesu, FRG-100 radio, a Furuno Felcom 15 Inmarsat-C and Furuno NX 500 Navtex.

Accommodation includes three two-berth cabins located below deck in the forward part of the vessel, with a combined mess room/galley and the usual sanitary spaces. Condiserable effort has been given to reducing noise levels in the accommodation which in the cabins is quoted as 57dB(A) at running speed and 54dB(A) in harbour. The deckhouse has additional fold-down seating for transporting up to 12 personnel.