Greek marine engineering contractor Asso.subsea announced on its official website that on April 9, the keel-laying ceremony was completed for the new DP-2 large cable-laying vessel “Althea,” which is being built for the company at China Merchants Heavy Industry (Shenzhen), marking the vessel’s official entry into the hull assembly phase.
On January 23, 2025, Asso.subsea signed a construction contract with China Merchants Heavy Industry (Shenzhen) for the “Althea,” which is scheduled for delivery in 2027. The vessel is specifically designed and built for complex subsea cable laying projects in the offshore energy sector.
According to previous reports, the vessel is 175 meters long and 41.8 meters wide, with a crew capacity of 120; its hull and systems are designed to meet the requirements for shallow-water and grounding operations. It is equipped with a DP-2 dynamic positioning system and 12,000-ton and 4,000-ton powered cable reels, enabling it to handle a variety of cable-laying and backfilling operations, including the capability to lay three cables simultaneously; It features a diesel-electric hybrid power generation system and a design with provisions for methanol use, meeting future carbon-neutrality requirements.
The Executive Director of Marine Technology, Ioannis Togias commented: “As we mark the keel laying of Althea, we take a decisive step forward in strengthening our fleet and technical capabilities. This vessel reflects our long-term vision to meet the evolving demands of the offshore energy market with reliability and precision.”
It is reported that Asso.subsea and China Merchants Heavy Industry (Shenzhen) have collaborated on multiple occasions in the offshore engineering sector. In addition to meeting key construction milestones for the “Althea,” the two parties also signed contracts for one new-generation subsea trenching support vessel (TSV) each in September 2025 and March 2026.
The two subsea trenching support vessels, named “Avra” and “Andromeda,” are scheduled for delivery in late 2027 and the second quarter of 2028, respectively, and will be built at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) shipyard on Mazhou Island, Shenzhen.