Asso.subsea’s new cable-laying vessel Althea has entered the hull assembly stage following a keel-laying ceremony at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI).
The ceremony took place on 9 April at CMHI’s shipyard on Mazhou Island in Shenzhen. It marked the start of vessel assembly, around five months after the construction of Althea was announced on 5 November 2025.
Ioannis Togias, Executive Director of Marine Technology at Asso.subsea, said the keel laying marked an important step in strengthening the company’s fleet and technical capabilities. He added that the vessel reflects the company’s long-term vision to meet changing offshore energy market demand with reliability and precision.
Althea will have a cable capacity of 12,000 tonnes in one, two, or three carousel divisions. The vessel is designed for long sections and bundled cable laying.
It will be equipped with a hybrid diesel and battery power generation plant. The vessel will also feature methanol-ready engines capable of running on biofuels and compliant with IMO Tier III NOx emission standards, along with cold ironing capability and a number of energy-saving features.
Delivery is expected next year. Once delivered, Althea will join Ariadne and Atalanti in Asso.subsea’s cable-laying fleet.
