Asso orders powerful trenching support vessel from Chinese shipyard

Greece’s Asso Subsea has ordered a new DP-2-class trenching support vessel (TSV) from China Merchant Heavy Industry Shenzhen Shipyard for delivery in Q4 2027. A shipbuilding contract was signed in the owner’s Elefsina, Greeece, headquarters.

To be named Avra, the TSV is designed to support the operation of a pair of trenching vehicles simultaneously to improve the efficiency of trenching operations for floating and fixed offshore wind and subsea cable laying projects.

The TSV will have 24 MW of installed hybrid propulsion power, with methanol and biofuel-ready engines paired with large batteries and shore power systems. Asso anticipates that the vessel will have a bollard pull of more than 180 tonnes, with the capability to operate heavy trenching, ploughing and boulder clearance tools, simultaneously.

With a 4,000-tonne, under-deck cable carousel capability and twin working decks, Avra can support a wide range of projects including dynamic cable spreads, floating wind installations, inter-array and export cable operations 

Additional deck machinery will include a 150-tonne offshore/subsea crane and dual heavy-duty A-frames.

“This partnership with CMHI marks the beginning of building the most powerful vessel of her kind,” said Asso Subsea executive director, marine technology, Ioannis Togias.