Van Oord Selects Names for Future Fallpipe Vessels

Van Oord has officially revealed the names of its two new flexible fallpipe vessels.

Vindnes and Vestnes are scheduled for delivery in 2028 and 2029, respectively. Van Oord said the purpose-built vessels will strengthen its subsea rock installation capabilities and support the continued growth of offshore wind, interconnector and critical energy infrastructure projects worldwide.

Van Oord said that unlike many recent market additions developed through vessel conversions, Vindnes and Vestnes have been designed from the keel up as dedicated subsea rock installation vessels.

“This purpose-built approach enables Van Oord to incorporate the latest lessons learned from decades of operations, resulting in enhanced safety, operational efficiency, installation performance and future fuel flexibility,” the company said in a press release dated September 23, 2026.

With a loading capacity of 35,000 tonnes, Vindnes and Vestnes have been optimised to deliver maximum project productivity while minimising environmental impact.

Van Oord said that rather than focusing solely on vessel size, the design balances carrying capacity, installation rates, fuel efficiency and offshore workability to reduce the total cost and emissions per tonne of rock installed.

Advanced automation, smart sensors and a DP2 positioning system will enable highly accurate rock placement, while multi-fuel engines, battery storage and an energy-efficient design will contribute to lower-emission operations.

Vindnes and Vestnes are currently being constructed by CIMC Raffles in China.