Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Maritime has signed a letter of intent with an unnamed client for the hire of one of its CSVs.

The agreement covers the 2001-built CSV Normand Cutter, with the contract set to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026 or the first quarter of 2027. It carries a firm duration of three years, plus three years of options, while the commercial terms and conditions remain confidential. Commitments of this length are notable for offshore vessel owners, as multi-year contracts secure fleet utilization well in advance, and the option structure could extend the vessel's employment to as much as six years if fully exercised.

Under the deal, the vessel will support subsea operations in West Africa, a region where deepwater developments off countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Ghana rely on subsea wells, flowlines, and floating production infrastructure that require ongoing installation, inspection, and maintenance work from construction support vessels. As part of the contract, Solstad will deliver, with support from Omega Subsea, two work-class ROVs complete with manning, tooling, survey services, and project personnel. Work-class ROVs are heavy-duty vehicles typically used for subsea construction and intervention tasks at depths beyond practical diving limits. Omega Subsea is a Norwegian subsea services provider specializing in ROV, survey, and intervention scopes.

The Normand Cutter is a large construction vessel equipped with a 300-tonne active heave-compensated crane and a working deck of approximately 1,600 square metres. Key points to watch going forward include confirmation of the exact commencement window between Q4 2026 and Q1 2027, and whether the client elects to exercise any of the three option years.