VARD has started construction of a 121.3-meter Offshore Subsea Construction Vessel (OSCV) for Taiwan-based Dong Fang Offshore (DFO), according to the company's release.
The steel-cutting milestone for newbuild NB 988 took place at Vard Shipyards Romania in Brăila on September 10. Hull construction will be carried out in Romania, with outfitting, commissioning and delivery scheduled from Vard Søviknes in Norway in the second quarter of 2027.
The OSCV will be of VARD 3 39 design, described by the company as a hybrid-ready subsea construction platform. The vessel is set to include accommodation for up to 130 people in 90 cabins, a 250-tonne active heave compensated offshore crane, a 1,200 m² work deck, prepared ROV hangars on both sides and DP2 station-keeping, with a stated maximum speed of 14 knots.
The design also provides readiness for a motion-compensated gangway, under-deck carousel, helideck and large trencher.
The OSCV contract was announced on April 3, 2025, and valued at €113.5 million with options. VARD said the project applies the group’s integrated value chain, with design in Norway, hull construction in Romania and completion in Norway.
The steel cut marks DFO’s first newbuild subsea construction vessel. It follows DFO’s orders at VARD for two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) in May 2024 and a third in May 2025.
Equipment contracting is ongoing, with Brunvoll confirmed to deliver propulsion and manoeuvring systems.
“We are pleased to return to VARD with a new order for an Offshore Subsea Construction Vessel,” said Polin Chen, CEO of DFO.
The vessel will feature battery-hybrid propulsion readiness and its “SeaQ” integrated bridge and power/automation systems from Vard Electro, with the aim of reducing emissions and supporting subsea and offshore wind activities including cable installation and repair.
VARD Group AS is a Norwegian shipbuilding company specializing in the design and construction of offshore and specialized vessels. Since 2013, it has been a subsidiary of Fincantieri S.p.A., an Italian shipbuilding group listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. VARD operates yards in Norway, Romania, Brazil and Vietnam. Its Romanian facilities, including Brăila and Tulcea, focus on hull construction, while Norwegian yards such as Vard Søviknes perform final outfitting and commissioning.
Dong Fang Offshore Co., Ltd. is a privately held offshore services provider established in Taiwan in 2019. The company focuses on offshore wind installation support, subsea cable operations, and operations and maintenance (O&M) services in the Asia-Pacific region. Its fleet strategy includes commissioning service operation vessels and subsea construction vessels built in collaboration with European yards.