Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) is pleased to announce the signing of a contract with VARD for the construction of a new Service Operation Vessel (SOV). This will be the third SOV in a series ordered by DFO and reinforces the company’s commitment to Taiwan’s growing offshore wind sector.
Upon delivery, the SOV will fly the flag of Taiwan and immediately commence operations under a 15-year charter agreement to support an offshore wind farm project in Taiwanese waters. The vessel will play a critical role in the maintenance and servicing of wind turbines, ensuring efficient and safe operations.
The SOV shall be of DFO’s own customized VARD 4 39 design, developed to meet the unique challenges of working offshore in Taiwan. The Vessel will be built to the highest European standards and meets or exceeds the requirements of the offshore wind industry.
Mr. Polin Chen, CEO of DFO says: “We are delighted to return to VARD for the construction of the third SOV is in our series of high performing SOVs for the Taiwanese market, continuing the strong teamwork and momentum together with the team in Vard Vung Tau. The vessel design has been developed to specifically address the many unique challenges operating offshore Taiwan, and it is humbling to see another customer place their trust in DFO to deliver long term O&M services, on a solution that we have developed together with VARD. This order marks the third O&M service contract for an SOV that DFO has been awarded in Taiwan, continuing the DFO strategy of building ships against high quality contracts with long-term, forward-thinking customers, and cementing DFO’s place as the O&M service provider of choice within Taiwan”.
The construction of the third Service Operation Vessel comes on the back of two SOVs ordered in 2024 with VARD, both of which will commence long-term contracts with customers in Taiwan upon delivery, and continuing DFO’s position as the largest owner and operator of SOV’s operating in the O&M space in Taiwan.
Dong Fang Offshore was founded in 2019 as the first dedicated, pure-play owner and operator of wind farm construction and support vessels in APAC. DFO employs over 300 professionals in the offshore wind industry and has a fleet of 18 vessels owned or under construction.
