Glamox wins contract to light Subsea Rock Installation Vessel for offshore energy projects

Glamox has been awarded the contract to supply marine lighting for the first of two Subsea Rock Installation Vessels being built for marine contractor Van Oord. Glamox will supply 2,930 marine lights for the Dutch company’s next-generation Subsea Rock Installation Vessel, which will support it in preparing the seabed for offshore pipelines, wind turbine foundations, platforms, or subsea installations.

Glamox will deliver a comprehensive marine lighting package for the first vessel, including exterior deck lighting and floodlights. This includes safety-critical lights such as navigation lights and high-performance searchlights. The lighting plays an important role in ensuring safe manoeuvring, nighttime operations, and precise positioning during subsea rock installation work. It enhances crew situational awareness, reduces operational risks, and supports safe deck operations in harsh offshore environments.

The lighting package also covers the vessel’s interior lights, including the engine room, stairwells, corridors, galley and the crew’s quarters. Delivery of the lighting is scheduled for winter 2026, with the delivery of the vessel expected before the end of 2027.

“This vessel will be crucial for preparing the seabed for future offshore energy projects. We enjoy a strong relationship with Van Oord and the shipyard. They know that the lighting we provide is both energy efficient and proven on vessels operating in some of the world’s harshest seas,” said Tommy Stranden, Chief Sales & Commercial Officer for Glamox’s Marine, Offshore and Wind division. We never compromise on light quality, and our lights are tough and long-lasting, with some fixtures providing more than 100,000 hours of life.”

The vessel, which is being built by Glamox’s customer, Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore in China, has a loading capacity of 35,000 tonnes and can handle large rock sizes. This makes it suitable for long-distance projects, as it minimises round-trip costs and reduces emissions and costs per installed rock volume. It also features a DP-2 dynamic positioning system. This advanced system, with redundant critical systems, enables the vessel to maintain a precise position despite waves, wind, and currents.

Van Oord’s new Subsea Rock Installation Vessels feature a sustainable design, including multi-fuel engines for biofuel and methanol, a DC grid with large battery capacity, and an energy-efficient hull design and rock-handling system. Glamox’s energy-efficient, marine-certified LED lights complement this sustainable approach, offering proven robustness and all-weather durability for operation in the harshest conditions.

Image: Astist’s impression of the two Subsea Rock Installation Vessels. Photo credit: Van Oord.