RWE signs long-term agreements with North Star for 2+2 SOVs

Grampian Eagle and Grampian Kestrel will support operation and maintenance activities at German offshore wind farms and the Triton Knoll farm off the British coast for a minimum of 10 years, with an option to extend for three.

“Two newbuild service operation vessels are planned to support the maintenance of RWE’s growing offshore wind fleet from 2028 and 2029 onwards,” says RWE. “North Star already has selected the global shipbuilding company VARD to construct these vessels.”

The Eagle and Kestrel contracts secure vital vessel capacity in an increasingly tight market, as vessel builds fall behind offshore wind growth.

“Through this long-term partnership, RWE is taking a strategic step by securing next generation service operations vessels against the backdrop of a tight market,” said Thomas Michel, COO of RWE Offshore Wind. “Those service operations vessels are an important enabler for RWE to deliver best-in-class performance across our existing operational fleet, as well as for future projects.”

SOVs are increasingly being seen as the most efficient way to service more distant offshore wind farms as they can remain on site for days, rather than travel to and from the port every day.

RWE currently operates 19 offshore wind farms around Europe, with a total installed capacity of 6.2GW. Its share of the projects is around half of that, some 3.3GW, it says.

It is also building another four projects in England, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany.