(WO) — Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to supply integrated technology and equipment for a new multi-purpose deepwater installation and construction vessel to be owned and operated by Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore.
The vessel, scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2029, will be built in China and designed for complex deepwater installation, subsea construction, mooring installation and other heavy-duty offshore operations.
Kongsberg’s scope includes dynamic positioning, thruster control, navigation, bridge and automation systems, as well as propulsion and power equipment. The package will include switchboards, generators, propulsion motors and a battery energy storage system.
The vessel will feature twin controllable-pitch propeller shaftlines, supplemented by azimuth thrusters to increase bollard pull, along with rudder systems and a complete thruster package.
A major component of the award is Kongsberg’s deck machinery package, including anchor-handling winches, shark jaws and tow pins capable of handling chains up to 220 mm. The company will also supply a newly developed low-tilt launch and recovery system for remotely operated vehicles.
Kongsberg said the package will include what is expected to be the world’s largest anchor-handling winch, along with two heavy-duty, active heave-compensated lifting winches. The project will also mark the first delivery of anchor-handling winches powered by Kongsberg’s internally developed XT140 permanent-magnet motor.
“Mooring installation capability is central to this vessel, and our high-capacity winch systems are designed to deliver exceptional performance, precision and reliability under the most demanding conditions,” said Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, president of Kongsberg Maritime.
The winches will be integrated with the vessel’s energy, automation and control systems, coordinating deck machinery with propulsion and dynamic positioning during anchor-handling operations.
Kongsberg has worked with SALT Design, SBM Offshore and Solstad Offshore on the vessel concept since 2023. Kongsberg and its partner IP Huse will provide the anchor-handling equipment as part of the project.
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