France’s Orange Marine ordered two next-generation cable laying and repair vessels from Sri Lanka shipbuilder Colombo Dockyard PLC for subsea telecom projects. The investment strengthens Orange Marine’s fleet and supports growing demand for high-capacity submarine cable routes worldwide.
The vessels will be designed by Norway-based Vard Design AS to optimize hull form and bow shape for higher speed and lower fuel use. They will meet Bureau Veritas classification standards and French Flag Authority rules, with deliveries planned in 2028 and 2029.
Orange Marine president Didier Dillard said the new ships will help the company operate one of the world’s most modern cable fleets while also reducing environmental impact. The company will use them to better serve customers across global subsea telecom routes.
Each vessel will focus on cable laying, repair and inspection work using a dedicated Orange Marine–designed ROV. The ROV will cut, inspect and bury subsea cables for both new installations and existing routes.
The ship design emphasizes strong sea-keeping, precise station-keeping and BV CLEANSHIP-aligned low fuel consumption. This combination supports safer offshore operations and a smaller environmental footprint on critical telecom infrastructure projects.
Orange Marine specializes in engineering, installing and maintaining intercontinental and regional submarine cable systems. The company reports that its fleet accounts for about 12% of the global cable maintenance ship capacity.