Jan De Nul Adds Connector to Offshore Installation Fleet

Jan De Nul has agreed to acquire the offshore construction and cable-lay vessel Connector from Ocean Yield ASA.

The vessel will be officially transferred during the fourth quarter of 2020.

The acquisition is part of Jan De Nul’s strategic investment programme in the offshore installation fleet. It follows the last year’s orders of the new-build offshore jack-up installation vessel Voltaire, and the floating crane installation vessel Les Alizés.

“The Connector has a very good reputation in the sector and is known as one of the world’s top tier subsea installation and construction vessels,” Philippe Hutse, Director Offshore Division at Jan De Nul Group, said.

”She’s capable of operating in ultra-deep water up to 3,000 metres deep. Through the market consolidation involving this new investment, we now own and operate the largest fleet of dedicated cable-lay vessels. The Connector will further strengthen the Jan De Nul fleet for the future of offshore energy production.” 

Built in 2011, the Connector is a DP3 ultra-deepwater multipurpose subsea cable- and flex-lay construction vessel. She is equipped with dual turntables with a combined total pay-load capacity of 9,000 tonnes, as well as risers using its two heave-compensated 400 mt and 100 mt offshore cranes. The Connector is also fitted with two built-in WROV’s which can work in water depths of up to 4,000 metres.

“The Connector was operating on a long-term bareboat charter until February 2017,” Andreas Reklev, SVP Investments of Ocean Yield ASA, said.

”In anticipation of a market recovery, Ocean Yield has for the past years traded the vessel in the short-term market. Through this position we have realized that in fact an industrial setup is required to operate the vessel efficiently in the cable-lay market whereby total solutions can be offered including dedicated engineering and operations teams. As such, we believe Jan De Nul will be well placed to efficiently operate the vessel which we see leaving in an excellent condition after having just completed its 10 year dry docking and class renewal surveys.”

Jan De Nul’s offshore installation fleet now comprises three jack-up installation vessels, three floating crane installation vessels, three cable-lay vessels, five rock installation vessels, and two multipurpose vessels.

“The Connector makes a perfect combination with our Cable-Lay Vessel Isaac Newton. Both vessels are interchangeable with similar large carrying capacities thanks to similar dual turntable systems, while at the same time they each have their own specific characteristics that make them complementary. Our third Cable-Lay Vessel Willem de Vlamingh completes our trio with its unique all-round capabilities including operating in very shallow waters,” Wouter Vermeersch, Manager Offshore Cables at Jan De Nul Group, said.