Dutch marine contractor Van Oord has ordered two methanol-fuelled subsea installation vessels from Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore in China.

Each vessel will have a loading capacity of 35,000 tonnes, the firm said in a statement on its website on Monday.

The first ship is scheduled for delivery in 2028, with the second to follow in 2029.

Van Oord currently operates three subsea rock installation vessels – Stornes, Nordnes and Bravenes.

The two new additions will bring its fleet total to five.

“The sustainable design of the vessels includes multi-fuel engines (biofuel and methanol), a DC-grid with large battery storage capacity, and an energy-efficient hull design and rock handling system,” it said.