ATE Energy International’s new DPS-2 cable laying vessel, OCEANUS 1, has entered service in Taiwan, with Synergy Marine Group providing technical and crew management services.
ATE Energy International and Synergy Marine Group have announced the arrival of OCEANUS 1 in Taiwan, adding new cable laying capacity for subsea infrastructure and offshore energy projects in the Taiwan Strait and wider region.
Built by Pacific Shipbuilding Joint Stock Company in Vietnam, OCEANUS 1 arrived at Kaohsiung on 16 September following her handover at the shipyard.
The arrival marks a further development in Taiwan’s domestic capability for subsea cable installation and marine engineering, with the vessel designed specifically to operate in the demanding conditions of the Taiwan Strait.
Designed for operating conditions in the Taiwan Strait, OCEANUS 1 is classed as an Offshore Support Vessel (Cable Lay) with DPS-2 capability. She carries a 30-metre-diameter cable carousel with capacity for up to 8,000-tonnes of cable carousel, a 250-tonne hydraulic A-frame and a 40-tonne service crane. A jet plough allows cable to be laid and buried in a single operation, and an SMD Quasar III work-class ROV supports touchdown monitoring and subsea survey. Her modular work deck can be configured for cable transport, trenching, cable protection, jointing and survey work, allowing the vessel to support offshore wind cable installation, subsea power transmission and other marine infrastructure projects.
OCEANUS 1 can accommodate up to 77 personnel, including marine crew and specialist project teams. The accommodation capacity is intended to allow installation, survey and subsea teams to remain onboard throughout offshore campaigns.
Ship managemennt of OCEANUS 1, covering technical and crew management, is provided by Synergy Marine Group through its Taiwan-based and regional offices. Mermaid Subsea Services (Thailand) Ltd. is expected to support project management for the vessel’s cable lay operations, subject to the award and finalisation of the relevant projects and contractual arrangements. ATE’s Submarine Cables Department will oversee the vessel’s deployment and cable lay activities.
Dave Gibson, Director, Submarine Cables Department, ATE Energy International Co., Ltd., said: “OCEANUS 1 gives Taiwan dedicated cable installation capability, based at home and designed around the operating conditions of the Taiwan Strait. It strengthens our ability to support offshore energy and subsea infrastructure projects in Taiwan, while giving us the flexibility to serve opportunities elsewhere in the world.”
Ajay Chaudhry, Co-CEO – Ship Management, Synergy Marine Group, said: “OCEANUS 1 will spend long periods working offshore, where station keeping, machinery reliability and the experience of the crew all determine what can be achieved. Our Taiwan and regional teams have worked with ATE since the vessel’s delivery, and we will support her with the same care we bring to every vessel under our management. We appreciate the confidence ATE has placed in us.”
