Greece-based Asso group has acquired the 2013-built diving support and construction vessel SBM Installer from Dutch floater specialist SBM Offshore.
from Dutch floater specialist SBM Offshore.The vessel has already been delivered and renamed Athena, hoisting the Greek flag. Over the next few days, the DSCV will be re-classed with ABS and join Asso’s fleet for primary use as a trenching support vessel.
No price is attached to the deal, however, VesselsValue estimates the vessel is worth close to $26.7m. In August 2020, SBM Offshore took full ownership of SMB Installer in a $30m deal with Norway’s Ocean Yield and with the intention to sell the ship.
Asso said that following the acquisition of the Argo, formerly known as the Polar King, in 2020, this additional vessel will improve its capacity and capabilities in the constantly growing subsea cable installation market.
Alexandros Tziotakis, general manager of Asso group, commented: “In the past 5 years, we have invested more than €150m ($170m) to renew and expand the company’s fleet, and today we have completed another fundamental step for playing an active role towards the energy transition.”
