North Star orders hybrid-powered craft for North Sea wind farm transfers

Offshore staff

GREAT YARMOUTH, UK – North Star Renewables has contracted Alicat to construct two hybrid-propulsion daughter craft to support operations at the Dogger Bank wind farm, 130 km (81 mi) offshore northeast England.

The workboats, designed by Southampton-based naval architects Chartwell Marine in collaboration with North Star, will have a combination of diesel and electric outboards.

Other features will include stabilizer technology to reduce emissions, and sea state operability/safe transfer, confirmed in tank testing, at wave heights of up to 1.7 m (5.6 ft) Hs. This is said to be higher than for any other wind farm daughter craft.

They will be deployed to transfer technicians accommodated onboard North Star’s service offshore vessels to work on the offshore wind turbines at Dogger Bank A and B, a joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor, and Eni.

09/30/2021