Offshore contractor DEME has ordered an offshore construction vessel (OCV) with PaxOcean suitable for conversion to methanol propulsion.

The OCV will be constructed at PaxOcean’s Zhoushan shipyard in China, with delivery expected in 2028, DEME said in a statement on its website on Friday.

The vessel will feature a hybrid 1,000-kWh battery system.

Being methanol-ready means the ships will initially run on conventional marine fuels but will be capable of future retrofitting to operate on methanol. However, several vessels with similar notations have yet to be converted to methanol.

“Designed for versatility, the vessel will be capable of executing trenching, burial, and cable-laying operations, complementing DEME’s existing cable installation vessels, Living Stone and Viking Neptun,” DEME said.