Written by
Nick Blenkey
North Star’s new SOV has been tailor-made to satisfy EnBW’s particular necessities
The U.Ok.’s largest operator of offshore wind service operation vessels (SOVs), Aberdeen-headquartered North Star, has gained its first order outdoors of the U.Ok. It has secured a contract with power utility big EnBW to ship a brand new hybrid-electric service SOV on a decade-long minimal constitution to service the He Dreiht wind farm off the coast of Germany, round 90 kilometers northwest of the island of Borkum and 110 kilometers west of Helgoland..
North Star says that the contract marks a milestone step in its bold European development technique so as to add 40 new SOVs to its fleet by 2040.
The newbuild is of Vard 407 design and has been tailor-made to satisfy EnBW’s particular necessities. Outfitted with a peak adjustable movement compensated gangway and 3D compensated crane, it is going to function Voith Schneider eVSP propulsion and is ready for using methanol as a gasoline.
Scheduled to start out its long-term constitution with EnBW from the top of subsequent yr, the walk-to-work vessel will present premier lodging in discipline for as much as 34 wind technicians as they keep the event’s 64 wind generators. It should additionally act as a logistics hub and warehouse.
“He Dreiht is at the moment considered one of Europe’s largest power transition tasks and as soon as operational, will provide inexperienced energy to 1.1million properties,” mentioned Caspar Blum, European renewables lead at North Star. “Following the extremely regulated EU tendering course of, we’re thrilled to be chosen by EnBW as a part of their upkeep answer to make sure as soon as accomplished, the wind farm stays constantly operational and producing renewable electrical energy.”
“With excessive operability a key part to offering quick, protected and environment friendly personnel transfers, we labored carefully with EnBW and our companions Vard to develop a strong and superior SOV to mitigate sea state and wave peak challenges,” mentioned Blum. “The consolation of wind technicians and crew on board was additionally precedence, with distinctive lodging and services inbuilt to assist well being and wellbeing throughout lengthy stays whereas in discipline. Ample warehouse house with side-loading entry for simplified gear transfers was additionally decided, guaranteeing we’re including one other high-performance newbuild to our rising hybrid offshore wind fleet.”
“This vessel would be the spine of our service and logistics operations at our He Dreiht wind farm,” mentioned Michael Splett, world head of O&M wind offshore at EnBW. “Working with North Star, we had been capable of specify its setup to ideally meet the necessities of our operations groups. Its progressive, methanol-based propulsion system helps us to additional decarbonise our trade’s operations. This completely aligns with EnBW’s technique of frequently optimising the operation of its offshore wind farms via the deployment of recent applied sciences within the discipline.”
The vessel can be North Star’s seventh newbuild SOV since coming into the renewables market in 2021. Its first two SOVs (VARD 4 12 and VARD 4 19 designs), the Grampian Tyne and Grampian Derwent, had been delivered forward of schedule final yr, with a further two ships for a similar U.Ok. North Sea consumer on observe for supply, the primary this month and the second in February 2025. Each are of VARD 4 12 design.
Final month, North Star minimize first metal on its second hybrid commissioning SOV (CSOV). Each are of VARD 4 22 design.
COCHIN SHIPYARD AWARDED BUILDING CONTRACT
The He Dreiht vessel can be constructed at India’s Cochin Shipyard.
North Star’s CFO Fraser Dobbie mentioned: “Following a complete evaluation of pre-qualified shipyards with the potential to satisfy our excessive construct requirements and on-time supply standards, we’re thrilled to substantiate Cochin Shipyard Ltd has been chosen to assemble our seventh hybrid SOV. That is the primary time we’ve got labored with Cochin and we had been significantly impressed by their abilities, experience, and huge expertise in setting up hybrid ships for on schedule supply to different European vessel operators.
“With North Star’s on-site groups overseeing simultaneous SOV newbuild applications at shipyards in India, Vietnam, Romania and Norway, this newest contract win marks one other important step in our journey in the direction of including 40 hybrid ships to our fleet by 2040.”
