Allseas acquires Vitoria 10000 in partnership with DeepGreen
Offshore contractor Allseas plans to convert the former ultra-deepwater drilling ship Vitoria 10000 into a seabed mining vessel.
The Vitoria 10000 is 228m long, 42m wide and can accommodate 200 people. In partnership with DeepGreen Metals Inc, Allseas is developing a deep-sea mineral collection system to responsibly recover metallic nodules from the ocean floor and transfer them to the surface for transport to shore. The nodules contain high grades of nickel, manganese, copper and cobalt which are key metals required for building electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies.
The ship will be converted to accommodate the pilot nodule collection system currently being developed by Allseas. As a former drilling ship, configuration is well-suited for modifications that will enable the deployment at sea of a 4.5 kilometre-long system to raise the minerals from the seabed. Allseas expects the vessel to be operational for pilot mineral collection tests by mid-2021. Allseas has until now mainly been involved in offshore pipeline installation, heavy lift and subsea construction.