Van Oord’s Brand New Cable-Laying Vessel Calypso Arrived in the Netherlands

Brand new cable-laying vessel Calypso has officially been handed over to Van Oord. The vessel arrived in the Netherlands on August 29 and will be christened this September in Rotterdam.

The final construction phase took place at the Vard Brattvaag shipyard in Norway, where the cable-related equipment was installed. The next-generation, custom-built vessel will be a key strategic addition to Van Oord’s offshore wind fleet, being equipped with the latest sustainable technologies.

Double-Speed Cable Installation

Van Oord provides a range of cable installation activities for the construction of offshore wind farms. The Calypso is Van Oord's second cable-laying vessel in addition to the Nexus. The vessel is not only fitted with a cable carousel on deck but also with a second, below-deck cable carousel, with a total cable-carrying capacity of 8,000 tons. It is suitable for efficiently laying two cables simultaneously.

The Calypso will be deployed to install inter-array grid and export cables for offshore wind projects, including high-voltage direct current cables. Van Oord’s highly innovative cable trenchers can also be operated from the vessel. The vessel was designed with the latest sustainable technologies to reduce its carbon footprint during operations and when on port standby.

Green Loan

The construction of the Calypso in Norway has enabled Van Oord to secure a Green Loan from Eksfin, a Norwegian governmental enterprise. This recognition stems from the Calypso's role in enabling expansion of renewable offshore energy. For Van Oord it is the first time a Green Loan certificate has been issued based on the intended purpose of the vessel in the energy transition. Financing is provided as a corporate loan and will be partially used to fund the final construction milestones of the Calypso and help optimize Van Oord’s financing structure.