DOF’s acquisition of AHTS Aurora Saltfjord and Aurora Sandefjord strengthens heavy anchor-handling and subsea project capacity as high-end tonnage tightens.
DOF Group ASA has taken a major step in its fleet high-grading strategy, entering into an agreement to acquire the premium anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS) Aurora Saltfjord and Aurora Sandefjord. Built in 2011, both vessels deliver almost 400 tonnes of bollard pull, positioning them among the most powerful AHTS vessels currently operating in the global market.
In parallel, the DOF has agreed—pending final documentation—to sell the 2010-built Skandi Laser, a 252-tonne bollard-pull AHTS. The vessel has recently been working on a subsea project in West Africa and in the spot market.
The combined net investment of the transactions is expected to total approximately USD 100 million, with around USD 30 million payable in cash and the balance financed through available debt facilities. The sale of Skandi Laser is anticipated to deliver a book gain of roughly USD 12 million, to be recorded in Q2 2026.
Mons S. Aase, CEO DOF Group ASA, comments: “Through these transactions, we further enhance DOF’s position as a leading player in the high-end AHTS market. This is a vessel segment which is core to our strategy of being a leading player for mooring projects globally, and Skandi Saltfjord and Skandi Sandefjord will add valuable capacity to deliver integrated offshore services to our clients. The AHTS market has lagged the broader subsea vessel market somewhat, and we now see clear signs that the AHTS market is catching up driven by strong demand across geographies. We already have project backlog for Skandi Skansen in 2027, showing that clients are securing this type of critical capacity earlier than previously, and we further see a strong pipeline of prospects that suit high-end AHTS vessels. Our recent vessel transactions, with the sale of three smaller and older vessels last year together with these transactions, follows our strategy of high-grading the DOF fleet. We expect to continue our fleet optimisation efforts, and will prioritise divestment of vessels that are not core to our strategy going forwards with the target to balance out the net total investment cost.”
Aurora Sandefjord is expected to be delivered in April 2026, and Aurora Saltfjord is expected to be delivered in June/July 2026. Skandi Laser is expected to be delivered to its new owner in May 2026. DOF will continue to have management responsibilities of Skandi Laser.
