Making OSVs greener
Offshore support vessels (OSVs) serving the offshore wind sector will become greener with a new initiative.
Columbia Group member, CSM Energy and Hydrus Engineering have joined forces to assess and retrofit OSVs involved in offshore installations and operations, turning them into hybrid ships powered by battery and fuel.
Lambros Nakos, partner at technical consultant Hydrus Engineering, said: “The current order book for new OSVs has declined since 2016, with fewer than 50 vessels ordered since the beginning of 2020. Given that OSVs already in operation will likely run for another 25 years, retrofitting them is the best option for ensuring vessels in the offshore wind farm sector are eco-friendly.”
What’s included in the deal?
Services include a feasibility assessment, pre-financing evaluation, budgeting and procurement control, engineering, retrofitting, supervision and commissioning.
The upgraded vessels will use significantly less fuel, reducing emissions and cutting maintenance costs for the diesel generators that power the ships.
Retrofitting existing vessels will be far quicker and much more cost-effective than building greener OSVs from scratch, according to a joint CSM Energy and Hydrus Engineering statement on the expected demand for greener ships in the offshore sector.
The OSV market has struggled in recent years because of the oversupply of vessels and the declining need for oil. But demand for these ships is expected to grow as investment in the offshore wind market continues to rise.
By Rebecca Jeffrey
