Greek offshore contractor Asso.subsea has exercised an option at China Merchants Heavy Industry’s Shenzhen yard for the construction of a second next-generation trenching support vessel (TSV).

The new vessel, to be named Andromeda, will be a sister ship to Avra, which was ordered in September 2025 for delivery at the end of 2027. Delivery of the latest newbuild is scheduled for the second quarter of 2028.

The contract follows the declaration of an option included in the original agreement for the first vessel, further cementing Asso.subsea’s relationship with the CMHI yard in Shenzhen. The contractor now has three ships under construction at the same site.

Like its sister ship, Andromeda will feature 24 MW of installed hybrid power and more than 180 tonnes of bollard pull. The DP-2 vessel is designed with double redundancy and is being billed as one of the most powerful purpose-built trenching support vessels on the market.

Ioannis Togias, executive director of marine technology at Asso.subsea, said the order reflects rising demand for high-performance trenching solutions in offshore energy projects. By adding a second vessel with identical specifications to Avra, Togias noted the company will be able to offer parallel deployment and greater operational flexibility to clients worldwide.

The order forms part of Asso.subsea’s longer-term fleet expansion strategy as offshore wind, interconnector and subsea cable projects grow in size and complexity. With two high-spec TSVs and a cable layer under construction in China, the Greek contractor said it is positioning itself for increased trenching and cable installation work in the years ahead.