First Taiwan-Flagged CSOV Completes Harsh Weather Trials

Dong Fang Offshore (DFO), a subsidiary of Hung Hua Construction, has completed harsh weather demonstrations at the offshore substations of the Greater Changhua 1 & 2a with the first Taiwan-flagged commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) Orient Constructor.

The trials, conducted in early January 2022, displayed the ability of the vessel to manage transfers during the harsh weather winter period at both the offshore substation and offshore foundations, the company claims.

Wave buoy data during the trials showed significant wave heights of up to four metres at the site.

Orient Constructor is Taiwan’s first subsea construction and a walk-to-work vessel owned and operated by a local Taiwanese contractor, according to the company.

The vessel was brought into service after Dong Fang bought Swire’s Pacific Constructor and upgraded it with a W2W system and crew transfer vessel (CTV) landings in October 2021.

Before the conversion, Orient Constructor completed an underwater survey project and a geotechnical investigation campaign on two projects in Taiwan.

The vessel, which was built in Norway and delivered in 2014, can accommodate 102 wind farm technicians and crew.

It has a diesel-electric DP2 propulsion configuration, a 250 MT active heave compensated main crane, and an aft deck of 1,300 square metres.

In 2020, Ørsted signed CTV contracts with DFO to charter five vessels and form a Taiwan-flagged CTV fleet for the construction work on the Greater Changhua 1 & 2a offshore wind farms.

According to previous information, the company has an eleven-strong fleet dedicated to offshore wind, along with twelve third-party vessels.

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