Wind Energy Construction has commissioned VARD to design and build an energy construction vessel (ECV), with the option for an additional vessel.
The client is a Norwegian company part-owned by the founders/owners of Norwind Offshore.
It is the sixth vessel Norwind’s owners have awarded to VARD since October 2021. All the previous five were offshore wind construction service operations vessels.
The new ECV will be of the VARD 3 11 design for the offshore wind and subsea sectors, capable of supporting inspection, maintenance and repair of pipes, and construction and installation of infrastructure above and below the sea surface.
Features of the design are said to include optimized station-keeping, maneuvrability and sea keeping that allows for a flexible configuration depending on the operations to be performed.
It will also be VARD's first construction vessel with an electric controlled motion-compensated gangway (walk-to-work) permanently installed, with integrated 3D compensated crane functionality.
To expand capacities, a movement-compensated 150-t offshore crane will also be installed. Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam will build, outfit and commission the vessel, with delivery scheduled for second-quarter 2027.
