Brand new cable-laying vessel Calypso has officially been handed over to Van Oord. This morning, the vessel arrived in the Netherlands. In September it will be christened in Rotterdam. The final construction phase took place at the Vard Brattvaag shipyard in Norway, where the cable-related equipment was installed. The next-generation, custom-built vessel will be a key strategic addition to Van Oord’s offshore wind fleet, being equipped with the latest sustainable technologies.

Van Oord provides a range of cable installation activities for the construction of offshore wind farms. The Calypso is Van Oord’s second cable-laying vessel in addition to the Nexus. The vessel is not only fitted with a cable carousel on deck but also with a second, below-deck cable carousel, with a total cable-carrying capacity of 8,000 tonnes. Suitable for efficiently laying two cables simultaneously. The Calypso will mainly be deployed to install inter-array grid and export cables for offshore wind projects, including high-voltage direct current cables. Van Oord’s highly innovative cable trenchers can also be operated from the vessel. The vessel has been designed with the latest sustainable technologies in order to reduce its carbon footprint during operations and when on port standby.

The construction of the Calypso in Norway has enabled Van Oord to secure a Green Loan from Eksfin, a Norwegian governmental enterprise. This recognition stems from the Calypso’s role in enabling expansion of renewable offshore energy. For Van Oord it is the first time a Green Loan certificate is issued based on the intended purpose of the vessel in the energy transition. Financing is provided as a corporate loan and will be partially used to fund the final construction milestones of the Calypso and help optimise Van Oord’s financing structure.