India's Cochin Shipyard has cut the first steel to be used in the construction of a new service operation vessel (SOV) ordered by UK operator the North Star Group.
Upon completion, the hybrid electric vessel will be operated under a long-term charter with German energy company EnBW at the He Dreiht offshore wind farm in the North Sea.
The newbuild will provide accommodation for up to 34 wind technicians as they maintain the development’s 64 wind turbines, located around 90 kilometres northwest of the island of Borkum and 110 kilometres west of Helgoland.
The SOV will also act as a logistics hub and warehouse.
The vessel was designed by Vard and is tailored to meet EnBW’s specific requirements. It will be fitted with electric Voith Schneider propulsion and is designed to use methanol as a fuel in future.
The vessel will also be fully equipped with a height adjustable motion compensated gangway and 3D compensated crane.