UK-based offshore vessel firm North Star said Friday its second hybrid-propulsion service operation vessel (SOVs) was set to be mobilized three months earlier than planned to support SSE Renewables with a new scope of work at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.
North Star's first service operation vessel in its new offshore wind fleet, the Grampian Tyne, was blessed at an event in June.
The second SOV, the Grampian Derwent, a larger ship with increased accommodation capacity and helideck, has recently been delivered to North Star in Vietnam.
The new award with SSE Renewables will see North Star aiding the construction and commissioning stage - a first such scope for North Star - at the initial phase of the giant offshore wind farm development, located 130km off the east Yorkshire coast.
"This will allow the ships to then dovetail straight into their scheduled long-term charters to carry out operations and maintenance (O&M) related in field vessel activities for the development partners," North Star said.
The wind farm is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%),
North Star says its SOVs provide hotel-quality accommodation to offshore wind turbine technicians and a centralized logistics hub in field. It is also configured to handle cargo and act as a warehouse.
The Grampian Derwent is a larger iteration of the three other VARD designed newbuilds secured as part of the biggest SOV contract ever awarded in the UK.
This second ship has an increased warehouse capacity and ability to accommodate 50 client technicians compared to 40 personnel on the other fleet tonnage.
The vessel is also equipped with a 17m helideck and a larger 5Te capacity 3D crane for offshore lifting.
North Star has also begun work on the construction of its first two commissioning SOVs, after awarding the contract to VARD in Norway in May.