MOL's Ta Tong Marine orders third methanol-ready wind SOV in Damen

This order is the third new SOV for TSSM, following the first newly built SOV in Asia, the TSS Pioneer, which was delivered in 2022, and the TSS Cruiser, which was ordered in November 2023 and scheduled for delivery in late 2025 .

Like its sister ship TSS Cruiser, the latest newbuild will be delivered methanol-ready, making it easier to use in the future, reducing emissions. It will also be built at the Damen shipyard in Vietnam and is expected to be delivered by the end of 2026.

The newly built SOV is planned to serve Taiwan’s offshore wind farms, which are scheduled to be built and commissioned in the late 2020s.

Leveraging the experience gained from operating the TSS Pioneer, the new vessel will transfer personnel and supplies to the offshore wind farm, contributing to the development of Taiwan’s offshore wind business by providing comfortable accommodation for technicians of the wind farm.

“We are delighted to further expand our fleet with the purchase of another Damen CSOV9020. Through the expansion of our offshore fleet, we can offer an effective tool to help accelerate the construction of wind farms… We look forward to further contributing to the clean energy space, playing our part in achieving the goal of net zero carbon emissions, and ultimately making the planet habitable for future generations,” said Hrong-Nain Lin, Chairman of TSSM.

“We are grateful and very grateful that TSSM has chosen Damen once again as the builder of the newest SOV in its fleet. Last year we welcomed TSSM to the Damen family with the CSOV9020 “TSS Cruiser” and since then we have further strengthened and intensified our relationship. We hope that with the two new CSOV9020s, TSSM will further strengthen its position in the offshore wind market of Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region – with our full support,” added Arnout Damen, CEO of Damen Shipyards.

TSSM is a joint venture between Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Ta Tong Marine (TSS)