The maritime sector based in the Canary Islands demonstrates its competitiveness in the high-specialization European market once again. Zamakona Yards, through its Basque parent company, has secured a strategic contract this April with the Norwegian shipping company Finnsnes Dykk & Anleggservice (FDA) for the construction of a next-generation hybrid vessel, an Anchor Handling Vessel (AWH) that is poised to become a new reference for underwater operations in the North Atlantic.
The general director of Zamakona Yards, Luis Magro, emphasized that this contract ‘reinforces the shipyard’s position in the subsea services segment,’ consolidating a trajectory of more than four decades in shipbuilding. The Spanish firm, with facilities in Las Palmas, has worked closely with the FDA team and Sirius engineers to ensure that the vessel will be equipped with high-precision dynamic positioning systems, essential for underwater work.
This agreement not only represents a boost for Zamakona, but it will also energize a broad value chain in the maritime industry, involving suppliers of high-complexity equipment. The collaboration between the Norwegian shipowner, the Basque shipyard, and independent designer Sirius underscores a growing trend in the sector: collaborative engineering to address increasingly demanding operations while respecting international environmental standards.
The project, scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2028, is not a conventional construction. It is a vessel designed by Sirius Design & Integration AS that integrates diesel-electric hybrid propulsion with battery storage. This technical configuration aims to optimize energy performance and minimize the carbon footprint, with the additional capability to operate using HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil), clearly demonstrating a commitment to sustainability in a traditionally fossil fuel-intensive segment.
With dimensions of 50 meters in length and 14 meters in beam, the unit stands out for its versatility. The design allows for anchor handling tasks — with a pulling force of 50 tons — to aquaculture operations, pipeline laying, and deployment of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). For the latter task, the vessel incorporates a specific hangar with a launch and recovery system, in addition to a deck that includes a rotating platform for cable handling with a capacity of 250 tons.
Kenneth Larsen, representative of the Norwegian shipowner, noted that the inclusion of this asset into their fleet — currently consisting of seven units in service and four under construction — represents a qualitative leap in their operational capabilities. The FDA, founded in 2002 and based in Finnsnes, aims to consolidate its dominance in the construction and underwater inspection sectors through a modern and efficient technological platform.
