‘Maersk Connector’, a new purpose-designed cable-laying vessel with full survey and trenching capabilities has been launched by builders Damen Shipyards of Galati, Romania.
Commissioned by Maersk Supply Service of Denmark, the 9,300 dwt 138-metre vessel with a top speed of 12 knots is to be leased to the UK subsidiary of Norway’s DeepOcean subsea group under a seven-year charter agreement.
Featuring a 7,000 tonne cable carousel and meeting exacting standards demanded by North Sea oil and gas customers, the new building is said to be particularly well-suited for installation and burial projects from land-fall to deep water as well as operations in remote geographical locations. Its first assignment to be carried out by DeepOcean will be an inter-array cable installation contract for the Bligh Bank Phase II Wind Farm project offshore Belgium. Pre-lay surveys in addition to installation and trenching of 50 array cables and a main coupling cable are among key undertakings.
Sea trials of Maersk Connector after further outfitting are due by the end of this year with final delivery scheduled for next February.
By David Goodfellow
