What seabed conditions can DeepOcean's trenching assets handle?

DeepOcean's trenching fleet is designed to operate across a wide range of offshore seabed conditions. The UT-1 and T1500+ jet trenchers are optimised for soft clays, clays and sands. For projects with variable or uncertain ground conditions, DeepOcean's engineering team can assess the seabed model and recommend the most effective trenching asset and installation methodology before mobilisation.

How quickly can DeepOcean mobilise for a trenching scope?

Mobilisation timelines depend on vessel location, project requirements and offshore availability, but DeepOcean's trenching model is designed around responsiveness and operational readiness. The UT-1 is permanently mobilised aboard the Volantis, while the T1500+ can be containerised and deployed on alternative vessels to support different project requirements. Speak to our team with your proposed schedule and scope requirements, and we'll provide a realistic assessment of available mobilisation options and timing.

Can DeepOcean deliver trenching as a standalone scope, or only as part of a larger T&I package?

Both. DeepOcean operates as a specialist trenching contractor for standalone seabed intervention scopes, while also delivering trenching and cable protection as part of integrated offshore wind T&I packages. Whether you require a dedicated trenching spread for a specific campaign or an engineering-led partner supporting installation and burial together, DeepOcean can tailor the delivery model to suit your project requirements.

Offshore wind seabed intervention

Powerful. Precise. Proven.

Yellow subsea intervention vehicle labeled DEEP OCEAN partially submerged near offshore wind turbine foundations in a grey, cloudy sea.

From inter-array cable burial to boulder clearance and cable protection, DeepOcean's seabed intervention capability keeps your project on track. With reliable assets across regions and a team built around solving problems, we're ready to mobilise when you need us.

Talk to our team

Seabed intervention built on more than 25 years of subsea expertise

Offshore wind cable protection demands precision, power and experienced delivery teams. DeepOcean brings all three together, backed by more than 25 years of subsea experience and a proven delivery record across the North Sea, the US and Asia-Pacific.

Our seabed intervention capability covers the full range of cable protection requirements, from jet trenching and ploughing to boulder clearance, pre-lay groove cutting, pre-lay grapnel run (PLGR), rock installation and backfilling. Whether the challenge is a complex seabed environment, a tight installation schedule or a combined lay-and-burial operation, DeepOcean has the assets, methodology and engineering depth to deliver.

Our engineering organisation of over 400 people supports every stage of delivery, from method engineering and installation analysis through to offshore execution, giving customers direct access to experienced technical leads with the expertise to manage even the most complex seabed conditions.

	UT-1	T1500+
Type	Jet trencher	Jet trencher
Jetting power	2,800hp	1,500hp
Burial depth	3m	3m
Operating depth	1,500m	500m
Soil types	Clays, soft clays, sands	Clays, soft clays, sands
Deployment	Permanently mobilised, Volantis	Vessel-agnostic, containerised
Sea state	Hs 2.5m (launch & recovery) /Hs 3m (on seabed)	Hs 4.5m

Specialist seabed intervention assets

Versatile trenching solutions for diverse seabed conditions

DeepOcean operates a fleet of purpose-built trenching assets designed to perform across the full range of offshore seabed conditions, from soft clays and sands through to hard ground requiring mechanical cutting.

The UT-1, the world's most powerful jet trencher, operating in offshore wind, is permanently mobilised aboard the Volantis and ready for rapid deployment. The T1500+ provides a flexible, vessel-agnostic solution for projects requiring alternative mobilisation strategies.

Our remote-first operating model combines ROV-supported trenching with digital data capture to reduce offshore personnel exposure, improve operational visibility and accelerate data turnaround, delivering safer, more efficient seabed intervention across offshore wind projects.

See our asset specifications.

OUR ASSETS

Why choose DeepOcean for seabed intervention?

Specialist capability, engineering depth and a proven track record across some of the world's most demanding offshore environments.

Purpose-built jet trenching technology including the UT-1 and T1500+, giving DeepOcean the flexibility to handle the full range of seabed conditions and cable protection requirements.

Specialist intervention fleet

Delivered trenching projects across the North Sea, the US and Taiwan, with experienced teams and vessels ready to mobilise globally.

Proven across regions

The teams responsible for intervening on your seabed retain critical site knowledge into the operational phase, enabling faster mobilisation and better-informed decisions if future IMR, re-burial or cable repair scopes are required.

Knowledge that carries

”

Seabed conditions don't always behave the way the survey suggests. What matters is having the assets, the methodology and the people to adapt without losing time. That's what we've built - a team that can problem-solve offshore and keep the project moving, wherever in the world we're working.

Julian Steward

Commercial Technical Manager

Seabed Intervention, DeepOcean

Part of something bigger

Seabed intervention as part of your full project lifecycle

Seabed intervention is one part of DeepOcean's complete offshore wind delivery capability. We support projects from pre-construction survey and route engineering through cable installation and burial, into long-term IMR and cable repair - with one integrated engineering organisation supporting the asset throughout its operational life.

That continuity creates long-term operational value. The site knowledge built during seabed intervention doesn't disappear at project handover, it stays within DeepOcean, informing faster response, lower operational risk and better decision-making across the full asset lifecycle.

Explore our full renewables offering

Renewables

DeepOcean end-to-end service diagram showing full lifecycle offshore wind capability in five circular steps: 1) Survey & Engineering with a helmet icon, 2) Installation with puzzle piece icon, 3) Trenching & Seabed Intervention with seabed machinery icon, 4) O&M & Cable Repair with cable repair icon, 5) Decommissioning with a wind turbine icon, all connected in a circular flow.

Man wearing an orange safety jacket, white hard hat, and protective glasses, standing in front of a blue container with partially visible white text.

CONTACT

Ready to talk trenching?

From live tenders to early project planning, DeepOcean’s team is ready to discuss how our trenching capability can support your offshore wind project.

Roar Lilleaas

Commercial Manager

Seabed Intervention

renewables@deepoceangroup.com

FAQ

Other renewables services

Cable Installation

Offshore wind transportation and installation services backed by more than 25 years of subsea experience.

Two workers in orange safety suits and yellow helmets managing thick orange and yellow cables on a ship deck with a blue sea and offshore wind turbines in the background.

Cable Repair & O&M

Helping offshore wind operators reduce downtime, manage cable risk and maintain long-term asset performance through fast-response cable repair and engineering-led O&M support.

Offshore wind farm with multiple turbines in the ocean at sunset, featuring a large yellow offshore platform and a white crane labeled Hydramarine extending towards it from a vessel.

Survey & Inspection

Delivering offshore wind survey and inspection services that help developers and operators reduce uncertainty, manage risk and make informed decisions across the full asset lifecycle.

Yellow underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named DEEPOCEAN suspended above the calm sea from a vessel at sunset.