Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK — EnBW has contracted North Star to supply a new hybrid electric service operations vessel (SOV) to the He Dreiht wind farm offshore northern Germany.
The long-term charter is North Star’s first offshore wind engagement outside the UK market. The company plans to add 40 new SOVs to its fleet by 2040.
The newbuild for He Dreiht is of the VARD 407 design, adapted to EnBW’s requirements. It features Voith Schneider eVSP propulsion and can be made ready to use of methanol as a fuel in the future.
Other equipment includes a height-adjustable motion-compensated gangway and a 3D-compensated crane.
Under the charter, due to take effect from the end of next year, the walk-to-work vessel will provide accommodation for up to 34 technicians maintaining the project’s 64 wind turbines 90 km northwest of the island of Borkum and 110 km west of Helgoland. In addition, the vessel will serve as a logistics hub and warehouse.
It is the company’s seventh newbuild SOV for the company since entering the renewable energy market in 2021. The first two, Grampian Tyne and Grampian Derwent, were delivered ahead of schedule last year.
Two more should be delivered to the same UK North Sea client this month and in February 2025, both VARD 412 designs.
Recently, North Star cut first steel on its second hybrid commissioning SOV, like its forerunner a VARD 422 design. Both will support operations and maintenance in Europe.
02.01.2024
