VESSEL REVIEW | Orient Inspirer – Hybrid SOV built for Taiwan Strait wind farm maintenance
Taiwanese operator Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) has added a new service operation vessel (SOV) to its fleet. The vessel will support turbine maintenance at two offshore wind farms off Changhua County.
Orient Inspirer was built by Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam to a design that DFO developed jointly with Vard for conditions in the Taiwan Strait. The vessel was delivered on September 16, two months ahead of schedule.
She is the first unit in a series of three SOVs ordered by DFO from Vard, and each vessel is committed to a long-term charter in Taiwan.
She will operate under a 12-year charter with Vestas at the 600MW Changfang-Xidao and 300MW Zhong Neng offshore wind farms.
Designed specifically for conditions off Taiwan
The Taiwan-flagged Orient Inspirer has an LOA of 102.76 metres (337.14 feet), a beam of 19.5 metres (64 feet), a depth of 7.4 metres (24 feet), and a draught of 5.8 metres (19 feet).
Her gross tonnage is 6,969 and her deadweight is 3,216.
DFO said the hull's length, bow design, and propulsion arrangement were selected to maximise workability in the Taiwan Strait's long swell and strong currents.
The operator meanwhile credited the optimised foreship with improved seakeeping and fuel efficiency.
Propulsion arrangement configurable to accommodate additional batteries or alternative fuels
Propulsion is provided by two Voith eVSP 32 electric Voith Schneider propeller units, supplemented by enhanced bow thruster capacity, with active roll stabilisation and DP2 station keeping. According to Voith, the propeller's rapid thrust response supports precise manoeuvring and dynamic positioning in changing wind, wave and current conditions.
Roll stabilisation meanwhile provides a steadier working platform and reduces the risk of seasickness.
The plant's battery system provides 1,240 kWh of energy storage. It uses Vard Electro's SeaQ Power system, integrated with the SeaQ Bridge system and a SeaQ integrated automation system covering power and energy management. Shore connection, heat recovery, and energy-efficient HVAC-R technologies were included in the contracted specification.
Vard also set aside space for additional battery capacity and possible alternative fuels should there be a need for these in future.
Heavy duty deck equipment for cargo and personnel transfers
The vessel is classed by DNV under the 1A main class notation. Her design notations include Walk2work, DYNPOS(AUTR), Battery(Power), BIS, COMF(C-3, V-3), Clean(Design), E0, NAUT(OC), Recyclable, SPS, BWM(T) and ER(SCR, TIER III).
Personnel transfer is handled by a Seaonics electric motion-compensated gangway with a 30-metre (100-foot) outreach and a width of 1.2 metres (3.9 feet). It regenerates power to the vessel grid and has a large cargo and crew platform.
Seaonics said that the electric arrangement, used in place of hydraulics, simplifies operation and maintenance.
A separate Seaonics ECMC C25 crane compensates for vessel motion by coordinating its main boom, telescoping and slewing functions to hold the wire exit position stable. In 3D compensation mode, it is rated five tonnes at 25 metres (82 feet) and seven tonnes at 22 metres (72 feet). In harbour mode with two-fall reeving, it can lift 10 tonnes at 20 metres (66 feet) and 15 tonnes at 16 metres (52 feet).
Crane and gangway operators work from a Seaonics bridge station, which combines camera views with dynamic visual overlays.
The bridge station, "enables operators to be stationed where collaboration on the bridge is optimised, without requiring direct line of sight or occupying critical bridge window space required by other vessel functions," said Seaonics Product Manager Arne Johan Trandal.
The SOV can accommodate 120 personnel in 90 cabins. Onboard facilities include a conference room, day rooms, offices, and briefing rooms. The open deck of approximately 700 square metres (7,500 square feet) can accommodate containers and mobilised equipment, and large warehouse facilities adjoin the operational areas.
The SOV also has an integrated capability for cable repair, and the design was prepared for a modular power and fibre-optic cable lay and repair spread.
Orient Inspirer will be crewed by DFO's Taiwanese and international seafarers.
DFO said the early handover allowed additional time for equipment familiarisation, procedure drills, and coordination with Vestas ahead of the service contract's scheduled start on November 1.
On October 6, Taiwan's Maritime and Port Bureau added Orient Inspirer to the vessels responsible for operations and maintenance at the Changfang wind farm. The maintenance work period will run to October 18, 2030.
The third vessel of the class is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2028 and is backed by a service contract of at least 15 years.