North Star and its shipbuilding partner Cochin Shipyard have cut first steel on EnBW’s new hybrid-electric service operations vessel (SOV), which is on decade-long minimum charter to service the He Dreiht wind farm off the coast of Germany from the end of 2026.
The steel cutting milestone was marked February 25, 2025 at Cochin Shipyard in India, where the planning, engineering design and construction work are being carried out.
The newbuild will provide accommodation in field 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 110 km west of Helgoland.
The SOV, of VARD 407 design, will also act as a logistics hub and warehouse.
The high specification SOV includes Electric Voith Schneider propulsion (eVSP) and is designed to use methanol as a fuel in future.
The ship is also fully equipped with a height adjustable motion compensated gangway and 3D compensated crane.
The project update follows last October’s announcement that North Star has also secured a second award with EnBW, for its first commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) to front run ahead of the SOV’s arrival.
Tailored for the commissioning phase, the CSOV, named Grampian Kestrel, will offer essential accommodation and logistics to support the construction and commissioning works in 2025.
Following this period, it will lead EnBW’s operations and maintenance activities until the newbuild SOV is delivered.
“The first steel cutting is always an exciting moment in the construction phase, and we were pleased to join the build team in India to mark the occasion”.
“We have worked closely with EnBW and our partners VARD to develop a robust and superior SOV with a new hull form to mitigate sea state and wave height challenges, providing fast, safe and efficient personnel transfers.
“With the comfort of wind technicians and crew on board a high priority, the SOV offers exceptional accommodation and facilities,” said Bruno Bartel, North Star European renewables lead.