Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has acquired a stake in Hamburg-based Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt and taken shares in C-CSOV vessels currently under construction.
The investment forms part of a partnership between MOL and Schoeller Holdings, the joint venture partner in Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt, the companies said.
They added that the vessels will be marketed in international offshore energy markets with Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt acting as operator of the fleet.
Four C-CSOV vessels have been ordered by Schoeller Holdings and are designed to expand the use case of conventional construction service operation vessels.
The ships are intended to support construction, commissioning and operation of offshore energy infrastructure while offering greater flexibility in deployment.
Columbia Shipmanagement, part of Schoeller Holdings alongside heavy-lift shipping company AAL, will provide technical management for the vessels.
The partnership is intended to combine MOL’s global offshore energy network and experience with Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt’s expertise in developing and operating the C-CSOV vessels.
The companies said the global energy market is seeing strong demand for support vessels for offshore construction projects.
They added that Europe currently leads the market while offshore wind development is also expanding rapidly in the Asia-Pacific region.