Vard, a Norwegian firm specializing in shipbuilding and design, said Friday its subsidiary in Vietnam, Vard Vung Tau, had delivered a newbuild 944 Grampian Tees service operation vessel to owner North Star.
This SOV is the third of four purpose-designed and built ships destined for decade-long minimum charters to support operations and maintenance (O&M) work at the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm.
Once the wind farm currently under construction is fully operational, it will become the largest in the world, producing enough electricity to power six million British homes. First power was produced from the Dogger Bank wind farm in October 2023.
The vessel is based on the 4 12 Vard design and has been developed with North Star specifically to handle planned maintenance on the Dogger Bank A, B, and C sites and tailored for effective and efficient operations in the harsh North Sea environment more than 130 kilometers off the north-east coast of England.
The vessel has a height-adjustable motion-compensated gangway with elevator system, a height-adjustable boat transfer system, as well as a 3D-compensated crane for cargo transfer.
The VARD 4 12 design vessel is 78 meters in length with a beam of 19 meters and can accommodate 60 people in single cabins.