VARD is pleased to announce that we have secured a new contract for the design and construction of one Cable Laying Vessel for Prysmian Group in Italy. The contract value amounts to approximately euro 200 million
Exceeded all expectations
The new vessel will be very similar to Leonardo da Vinci, which was delivered from VARD to Prysmian in 2021. Prysmian says the vessel has exceeded all expectations in its first year of operations, and is now coming back to VARD to secure another vessel to their fleet:
“The development of smart and sustainable power grids infrastructure is key to enable the energy transition, and submarine cables are an essential component. As global leader we are fully committed to technology innovation and we are happy to partner with a worldwide leader in the construction of vessels like VARD and Fincantieri to improve also our installation capabilities” stated Valerio Battista, CEO of Prysmian Group.
The new vessel is especially designed for advanced subsea operations. As Leonardo da Vinci, the cable layer features deep water installation capabilities for depths of more than 3,000 meters and the highest cable loading capacity in the market. The cable layer is developed to perform complex installation operations, supported by a variety of burial systems, including heavy-duty ploughs, and state-of-the-art positioning and seakeeping systems, coupled with a reduced environmental footprint.
Enable sustainable maritime operations
Alberto Maestrini, CEO of VARD, is proud of Prysmian’s feedback of the Leonardo da Vinci and the new contract: “Our mission is to enable sustainable maritime operations, and that Prysmian is now coming back to place a new order, proves that our vessels contribute to reaching their ambitions for quality, efficiency, and sustainability of submarine cable installation projects. We look forward to embarking on this new project together with Prysmian.”
The vessel is designed by Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway. The hull will be built at Vard Tulcea in Romania, while the final outfitting, commissioning and delivery will be carried out by one of VARD’s shipyard in Norway. The Group’s high technology subsidiaries are also involved in the project through deliveries of equipment and solutions. VARD is a part of the Fincantieri Group.
The cable layer is scheduled for delivery in Q1 2025.
Technical information
- Length of approximately 170 meters and a beam of about 34 meters.
- Cable installation equipment including carousels of 7,000 and 10,000 tonnes.
- State-of-the-art DP3 positioning and seakeeping systems
- Bollard pull in excess of 180 tonnes.
- Maximum transit speed will exceed 16 knots.
