Taiwanese owner and operator Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) has firmed up its next phase of growth with the signing of a subsea and cable lay vessel (CLV) newbuilding contract with Norway’s Westcon. The deal will see the yard take over and complete a large CLV already under construction, with delivery set for the first quarter of 2027.

The subsidiary of Hung Hua Construction said the newbuild will fill a gap in its cable-laying capacity after DeepOcean exercised its 2028 option on the Orient Adventurer for work in Europe. That extension keeps the vessel busy through the end of 2028, with further options running to 2031, leaving DFO needing replacement tonnage to service subsea cable contracts already secured in Asia-Pacific.

DFO said the timing of the order aligns with its long-term workload and a competitive building price. “The decision for this new CLV is driven by the successful extension of the Orient Adventurer’s contract, and as such a new vessel is required to replace her for subsea cable projects DFO have already secured in 2028 in APAC,” the company said. “This addition will add much-needed capacity to support our customers’ offshore energy ambitions and secures DFO’s long-term future as a leading APAC-based contractor.”

The order marks a major step in DFO’s fleet build-out. By 2027, the company’s roster of construction vessels over 100 m will rise from two to seven. DFO’s fleet will include two large CLVs, two construction support vessels with repair capability, three service operations vessels, a DP1 survey ship, two anchor handlers, seven crew transfer vessels, a cargo barge and a newly added DP2 multicat.