Subsea technology company Seatools has been awarded a contract by Jan De Nul for the design and delivery of a Fall Pipe ROV (FP-ROV) that will form a key system of Jan De Nul’s recently announced subsea rock installation vessel, the George W. Goethals. The ROV will play an essential role in the vessel’s mission to protect critical subsea infrastructure by enabling highly accurate and controlled rock placement around cables and foundations, safeguarding assets that underpin global energy transmission.

The Fall Pipe ROV will be installed at the lower end of the vessel’s vertical fall pipe and is responsible for the accurate horizontal positioning of the pipe’s outlet. In addition, the ROV will be used to perform detailed pre-, intermediate-, and post-lay surveys, supporting precise subsea rock installation and verification operations. This enables precise subsea rock installation, a critical operation for the protection and stabilization of subsea infrastructure such as cables and pipelines.

Proven Expertise in Subsea Rock Installation Systems
Seatools will leverage its long-standing expertise in advanced subsea rock installation systems, having delivered numerous Fall Pipe ROVs to the leading subsea rock installation contractors over the past decades. For this project, Seatools’ subsea specialists will work in close coordination with Jan De Nul’s in-house vessel-design team to ensure seamless integration between the ROV system and the ship’s advanced fall-pipe arrangement, combining both parties’ engineering strengths into one cohesive subsea solution.

Advanced Automation and Precision Control
Like all Seatools FP-ROVs, the system will feature the company’s proprietary ROV  Dynamic Positioning (DP) system, which provides automated and highly accurate

subsea positioning. The DP system integrates advanced functions such as Auto-Track, allowing both the ROV and the vessel to automatically follow a predefined track during rock installation. This results in minimal rock spillage, consistent coverage, and maximum installation efficiency.

Commitment to Reliability and Partnership
“We are proud to support Jan De Nul with this Fall Pipe ROV, which represents another step in our longstanding contribution to subsea rock installation technologies,” said Jan Frumau, Managing Director of Seatools. “The system’s advanced automation features will help ensure efficient, predictable, and precise operations. We greatly value the collaboration with Jan De Nul and look forward to a successful delivery.”

Strong Year for Seatools
Seatools is experiencing one of its most successful periods to date, marked by multiple new project awards and ongoing investments in engineering capacity. These developments underscore the company’s strong market momentum and ability to support an increasing number of complex subsea projects. The Fall Pipe ROV project for Jan De Nul is part of a series of strategic projects that further strengthen Seatools’ position and marks another highlight in what is shaping up to be an exceptionally successful year for the company.

Delivery of the FP-ROV system is scheduled for 2027.