Forum Energy Technologies’ (FET) subsea product line has secured a contract to provide four of its new generation work-class remotely operated vehicles (ROV), the XLX EVO III, to long-term customer
DOF.
The contract, signed in late August 2025, schedules the delivery of the four ROVs for April, June, July and August 2026 respectively. The first two vehicles will be mobilised in Singapore. Since 2008, DOF has purchased over 60 ROVs from FET, with this latest sale indicating the continuation of a longstanding partnership of high strategic importance between the two companies.
The XLX EVO III will demonstrate the most cutting-edge ultra-heavy-duty subsea vehicle technology available on the market. Designed to undertake a broad spectrum of underwater tasks, the 3,000m ROVs will be equipped with 420mm diameter thrusters for increased through water performance and an improved buoyancy package, facilitating over 500kg of unladen payload. The XLX EVO III comes with updated pilot chairs and console as well as FET’s next-gen control software, ICE Unity, providing unparalleled response for remote operations and comprehensive data access.
Kevin Taylor, FET’s vice president of operations (subsea), said: “This contract re-affirms the strong partnership between DOF and FET, and an order of this scale reflects the confidence DOF places in our subsea technologies. We are excited to see our next generation work class ROV in action next year and look forward to supporting DOF through our customer services team.”
The ROVs will be manufactured at FET’s facility at Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire, and marks the latest in a string of significant contracts for FET this year, signifying strong growth across the subsea industry. FET’s ROVs are used globally to support underwater industry applications, including in defence, traditional and sustainable energy, telecommunications, mining, aquaculture and academia.