May 18, 2022, by Sanja Pekic

DEME’s new installation vessel Orion has officially joined the fleet and wrapped up a ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation at DEME’s base in Vlissingen.

On 30 April, DEME stated that its offshore installation vessel Orion officially joined its fleet. DEME specifically said this next-generation vessel brings a game-changing installation concept to the offshore energy market.

Orion is equipped with a 5,000-tonne crane and is designed to handle the enormous turbines and foundations of the future. With a total installed power of 44,180 kilowatts and at 216.5 metres long, the vessel has a large deck and a deadweight that has been maximised so it can handle the heaviest components.

The vessel features dual-fuel engines enabling it to run on LNG. It also has other green features onboard, such as a waste heat recovery system. The evaporation of LNG also cools the accommodation with a cold recovery system. Moreover, Orion has a Green Passport and Clean Design notation.

In a social media post from 18 May, DEME informed of the first bunkering of this installation vessel at the DEME Base in Vlissingen. There,  successfully carried out the ship-to-ship bunkering of about 600 tonnes of LNG.

Luc Vandenbulcke, CEO of the DEME Group, previously commented: “This vessel heralds a new era in the offshore energy industry; one which will be dominated by multi-megawatt turbines, jackets and components. The combination of unique technology, load capacity and superior lifting heights will enable Orion to play an important role in helping the industry successfully navigate the energy transition.”

The Orion will shortly set sail for its first project in Germany, where XL foundations will be installed at the Arcadis Ost 1 offshore wind farm. This will be followed by a decommissioning project in the UK. The vessel will also be deployed for the installation of 176 foundations at the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm in the U.S., one of the largest offshore wind developments in the world.