Epoch era analysis in the design of the next generation offshore subsea construction vessels

The objective of this paper is to investigate the plausibility of applying Epoch-Era Analysis (EEA) as a systems engineering technique to evaluate whether an offshore subsea construction vessel (OSCV) can deliver sustained value to stakeholders over time in a complex, uncertain and changing technological, operational and commercial context. Additionally, the article discusses how to evaluate and interpret the results of such an analysis. As a basis for the EEA, a concise analysis of the current OSCV market and inherent development trends as to technology application and operational best practices should be included, to ensure realistic input parameters to the analysis.