KESTO, a joint venture between Denmark’s ESVAGT and South Korea’s KMC Line, has secured its first contracts to provide offshore service logistics for Vestas at the Shinan-Ui offshore wind farm in South Korea.
From 2028 and for a minimum period of 10 years, KESTO will provide vessels to support Vestas’ service scope at the Shinan-Ui project. KESTO will begin servicing Vestas during the construction phase and will continue to deliver service operations once the wind farm becomes operational, with activities scheduled to run until 2039.
KESTO has initiated construction of two 27-metre crew transfer vessels (CTVs), each with capacity for 24 technicians. The vessels will be used to support daily service and maintenance activities on Vestas V236-15.0 MW turbines at the wind farm.
The vessels, which are of European design, will be built at a South Korean shipyard, with delivery scheduled for the first quarter of 2028. KESTO said the decision supports its commitment to developing the local supply chain.
Crew will be sourced through KMC Line’s maritime network in South Korea, including cooperation with Korean maritime universities, with joint training planned aboard ESVAGT vessels ahead of operations.
The Shinan-Ui offshore wind farm is expected to supply electricity to around 350,000 South Korean households annually once operational in 2028–2029.
“This is an important and significant milestone for KESTO, and we are proud to extend ESVAGT’s strong partnership with Vestas into Korea, supporting the renewable market, through our joint venture with KMC Line. KESTO will be the first vessel operator with long-term contracts, which is a testament to the quality and safe offshore operations, we offer our clients,” said Søren Karas, Chief Executive Officer of ESVAGT.
“This contract marks the formal start of KESTO’s operational journey. KESTO aims to deliver superior offshore wind vessel services that meet both international operational standards and Korean regulatory requirements. We are excited to move forward with this long-term scope with Vestas,” added James Kim, Chief Executive Officer of KMC Line.