North Star has secured a contract with energy utility giant EnBW to deliver a new hybrid-electric service operations vessel (SOV) on a decade-long minimum charter to service the He Dreiht wind farm off the coast of Germany.
The agreement marks the company’s first offshore wind move outside the UK market, a milestone mark in its ambitious European growth strategy to add 40 new SOVs to its fleet by 2040.
The newbuild is of VARD 407 design which has been tailored to meet EnBW’s specific requirements.
The high specification vessel includes Voith Schneider eVSP propulsion and is prepared for the use of methanol as a fuel.
The ship is also fully equipped with a height adjustable motion compensated gangway and 3D compensated crane. In addition, it utilizes the best available technology to support decarbonization, including North Star’s Decision Support system.
Scheduled to start long-term charter with EnBW from the end of 2025, the walk-to-work vessel will provide accommodation for up to 34 wind technicians as they maintain the development’s 64 wind turbines, located around 90 km northwest of the island of Borkum and 110km west of Helgoland.
The SOV will also act as a logistics hub and warehouse, the UK's leading SOV operator said.
“He Dreiht is currently one of Europe’s largest energy transition projects and once operational, will supply green power to 1.1million homes. Following the highly regulated EU tendering process, we are thrilled to be selected by EnBW as part of their maintenance solution to ensure once completed, the wind farm remains consistently operational and generating renewable electricity,” said Caspar Blum, North Star European renewables lead.
In an update shared on February 2, 2024, North Star confirmed that the SOV would be built by Cochin Shipyard in India.