Bibby lays keel for first zero-emissions CSOV

The keel had a 1807 coin welded to it, signifying the year Bibby Marine was founded, by Bibby Marine Line Group CEO Jonathan Lewis at the Armon Shipyard in Vigo, Spain.

The CSOV has been designed to cut emissions and fuel consumption and will accommodate up to 120 persons.

“This vessel is more than a feat of engineering – it’s a symbol of our values as a business, in action. At Bibby Marine, we believe in doing the right thing, even when it’s difficult,” said Lewis. “We began work on zero-emissions vessels back in 2019, long before it was mainstream. As we lay the keel for our electric-first vessel, we are proud to be proving that clean, sustainable maritime solutions are not only possible, but essential.” 

When the deal between Bibby Marine and Armon Shipyard was announced, Armon CEO Laudelino Alperi said: “The complexity of the eCSOV underscores its importance, not only as a technological challenge but as a statement of commitment to a cleaner and greener future.” 

 In June, Bibby Marine, Kongsberg Maritime and Stillstrom published an open letter calling on the industry to ramp up efforts in zero-emissions technologies, saying collaboration would be key in reducing costs as well as any impact on the environment.

“Offshore wind provides a significant boost to global efforts to combat climate change; the carbon footprint of offshore wind power generation is ten times lower than fossil-generated electricity on a per MWh basis,” the letter says. “However, while in Europe the sector remains a long way from peaking, global opportunities are expanding rapidly, and this global expansion means more carbon from our operations.

“If we truly want to be a net zero emissions sector, we need to work harder to eliminate our sources of carbon emissions. We need to stop looking on and start acting to deploy the technologies we have that can cut carbon from our sector today and for the future.”

The full letter is here.

The CSOV is expected to be launched in 2027.