A hybrid-propulsion service operation vessel (SOV) for what will be the world’s biggest wind farm has been delivered three months early by North Star, the company has revealed.
Designed by Vard, Grampian Derment is the second of North Star’s new offshore wind fleet after Grampian Tyne, which was blessed in June at the Dogger Bank O&M base in the Port of Tyne.
Grampian Derwent has accommodation for 50 technicians compared to 40 personnel on the other fleet tonnage, an increased warehouse capacity, helideck, 5Te capacity 3D crane for offshore lifting and a digital suite of tools alongside North Star’s Decision Support Software. It will be deployed during the construction and commissioning phase of the wind farm.
Dogger Bank is a joint venture made up of SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%), and is 130km off the Yorkshire coast.
“This will allow ships to then dovetail straight into their scheduled long-term charters to carry out operations and maintenance related in-field vessel activities for the development partners,” says North Star, which says it has also begun work on the construction of its first two commissioning SOVs, after awarding the contract to Vard in Norway in May.
North Star says it has a £127 million (€148 million) finance package in place to fund its Dogger Bank SOV fleet newbuild programme, which will result in four of its hybrid-electric ships being operational in field by 2026, each on a 10-year minimum term charter agreement.
