Taiwan-based owner and operator Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) has confirmed its next growth step by signing a contract with Norway’s Westcon for a new cable-laying vessel (CLV). Under the agreement, the yard will assume project management and complete a large CLV that is already under construction, with delivery scheduled for Q1 2027.
DFO’s subsidiary Hung Hua Construction said the vessel will help close a capacity gap after DeepOcean exercised its 2028 option on Orient Adventurer for work in Europe. The extension would keep the vessel employed through end-2028, with further options potentially running to 2031, meaning DFO needs additional tonnage to cover its already awarded subsea cable installation commitments in the Asia-Pacific region.
DFO said the timeline aligns with its long-term workload and a competitive build price. The company added that the new CLV is intended to replace Orient Adventurer on APAC cable-laying projects already secured for 2028, strengthening capacity to support customers’ offshore energy ambitions and underpin DFO’s long-term position in the region.
The order also supports a broader fleet expansion. By 2027, DFO expects the number of construction vessels over 100 meters to rise from two to seven. The planned fleet mix includes two large CLVs, two construction support vessels with repair capability, three service vessels, a DP1 hydrographic vessel, two anchor handling units, seven crew transfer vessels, a cargo barge, and a recently added DP2 multipurpose vessel.
