New Multi-Purpose Accommodation Support Vessel Unveiled for Offshore Energy Operations

Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Windcat for a new class of vessel, the Multi-Purpose Accommodation Support Vessel (MP-ASV), with an option for five additional vessels.

Announced on 25 November 2025 at the Offshore Energy Conference in Amsterdam, the vessels will be known as the Innovation Series and are designed to support personnel working in the offshore energy sector for extended periods. The MP-ASVs build on the successful collaboration between the two companies during the development of the Elevation Series Commissioning Services Operations Vessels (CSOVs).

The new vessel type is larger than the CSOVs, measuring 102m x 20m and offers increased capabilities and efficiency. A key feature of the MP-ASVs is their large open deck of 750m² coupled with a 150-tonne subsea crane and the ability to launch and recover Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs).

The vessels incorporate features for low emissions performance, including a large 3981kWh battery pack on a DC grid for peak shaving. This allows the variable-speed main engines to operate at their most efficient working point, such as during Dynamic Positioning (DP) operations, reducing overall fuel consumption. Like the Windcat CSOVs, the Innovation Series vessels integrate low-carbon fuels, with a dual fuel hydrogen engine enabling the auxiliary genset to run on hydrogen.

Increased redundancy is provided by a DP2+ dynamic positioning system. In addition to azimuth thrusters, a tunnel thruster is installed fore and aft, allowing the vessels to continue operating on DP2 even in the event of a thruster failure, which is important for remote offshore locations.

The vessels are equipped to accommodate up to 190 persons on board for a minimum of 28 days’ endurance, providing comfortable, high-quality living quarters. Personnel can safely access offshore infrastructure via a motion compensated gangway. The accommodation design focuses on easy way-finding, appealing aesthetics, and the use of high-quality materials to maximize crew well-being.

Damen Sales Manager Joost van der Weiden said, “Our collaboration with Windcat is a good example of the way that Damen works. Together with clients who share our values and ambitions, we seek to innovate next generation solutions, setting new standards in safety, efficiency and sustainability. This has proven very successful with the first six vessels of the Elevation Series. We are delighted to have received this latest order which represents a further step forward. I am looking forward to our continuing cooperation with Windcat as we develop the Innovation Series in the years ahead.”

Willem van der Wel, Managing Director at Windcat, stated, “Today we introduce a new vessel type, not only to our fleet, but also to the market. We take the best of two worlds: we combine the benefits of a large deck and crane of an MPSV with the comfortable offshore accommodation of an ASV. Through collaboration with customers and suppliers and constant evolution, we have remained at the forefront of the offshore energy industry, always putting our customers’ needs first. By building this new type of vessel, with an emphasis on comfort, performance and decarbonisation, we are ensuring that we can continue to safely and effectively support tomorrow’s offshore projects around the world.”

Damen plans to begin construction of the first MP-ASV in February 2026 at the Ha Long Shipyard in Vietnam, with delivery anticipated in 2028.