Norwegian Ocean services provider DeepOcean has been awarded a contract to execute the post-lay trenching works from Volstad’s subsea construction vessel, M/S Volantis.

According to the DeepOcean group, the Volantis is a multi-role, dynamically positioned undersea construction vessel that is built to operate in volatile weather conditions and keep its high-standing capabilities while being sustainable.

The Volantis is equipped with DeepOcean’s highly powered jet trencher UT-1, which has previously completed over 2,200km of subsea trenching.

The 2,800 horsepower UT-1 has dug trenches up to 3 metres deep in a variety of soil conditions with pressures more than 100KPa and to further aid in product protection, the trencher can perform backfill operations.

President of the Americas for DeepOcean Tony Stokes highlights the achievement of this contract and emphasises how DeepOcean will continue to expand and build its presence: “We are extremely pleased to receive this award as it is a testament to the confidence our clients have in DeepOcean’s ability to provide pipeline burial solutions in diverse soil conditions.

"We are looking forward to a successful campaign and the continuation of building our presence in the global trenching market through supporting our clients with market-leading assets and delivering targeted results.”

The Volantis vessel, which is on charter from Volstad Maritime, has undergone a significant renovation which includes the installation of batteries to lower fuel usage and emissions.

This is in accordance with DeepOcean's goals to reduce CO₂ emissions by 23% by 2025, 45% by 2030 and ultimately to net zero by 2040, as stated in their 2022 annual report.

This contract follows DeepOcean’s most recent contract, which established the completion of more than 300km of trenching scopes offshore of Mexico on pipes with a diameter ranging from 8 inches to 36 inches.