Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) has taken delivery of Orient Inspirer, the first of three newbuild Service Operations Vessels ordered from Vard and committed to long-term charters in Taiwan.
The vessel was delivered from Vard’s shipyard in Vung Tau, Vietnam, on 16 September 2026, ahead of the original schedule. After arriving in Taiwan, Orient Inspirer will begin a 12-year charter with Vestas, supporting operations and maintenance at the Changfang Xidao and Zhong Neng offshore wind farms off Changhua County.
Orient Inspirer will be registered under the Taiwanese flag and crewed by DFO’s Taiwanese and international seafarers. The vessel also includes built-in cable repair capability.
It is the first of three SOVs of the same class ordered by DFO from Vard. All three vessels are committed to long-term charters in Taiwan.
A naming ceremony was held at the Vung Tau shipyard on the day of delivery. DFO’s Board of Directors and management team attended alongside representatives from Vestas and partners including Hung Hua Construction. Hang-Chuan Chen, Chief Financial Officer of Hung Hua Construction, served as the vessel’s godmother.
Orient Inspirer is based on the VARD 4 39 design and measures 102.5 m in length. The vessel was developed by DFO and Vard for conditions in the Taiwan Strait and can accommodate 120 people in 90 cabins.
Its equipment includes a fully electric motion-compensated gangway, a 7-tonne 3D motion-compensated crane and DP2 station keeping. The vessel is also fitted with a 1,240 kWh battery hybrid power plant and Voith electric propulsion with active roll stabilisation.
According to DFO, the vessel’s hull length, bow form and propulsion configuration were selected for the long swell and strong currents of the Taiwan Strait.
Polin Chen, CEO of DFO, said the delivery reflected cooperation between the company’s newbuild team and Vard. He added that Orient Inspirer would accommodate Vestas technicians working at Changfang Xidao and Zhong Neng.
