Arrival of first Service Operation Vessel
Published
Two Service Operation Vessels for the offshore wind industry are being constructed for Bernhard Schulte Offshore, Germany. The hull of the first vessel arrived Ulstein Verft on 3 January 2016.
Read the news in Norwegian (Vikebladet.no)
While most people celebrated New Year, the first SOV hull for Bernhard Schulte Offshore/WINDEA made its first journey from Poland to Norway. In the early morning of 3rd January it arrived at Ulstein Verft in Ulsteinvik.
During the next months it will be outfitted and get its final coating, before the sea trials will start in the late spring. Starting from summer the vessel will work at the Gemini wind farm in the Netherlands for SIEMENS Wind Power Service.
The vessel is one of two SOVs which Bernhard Schulte Offshore/WINDEA will deliver to SIEMENS.
The usage of SOVs will improve the efficiency of service operations at wind farms. The vessel functions as a reliable and environmentally sound platform for wind farm operations and maintenance support, technician accommodation and transport, and the provision of exceptional levels of safe reliable access to installations offshore.
With the ULSTEIN SX175 the collaborative design team of Ulstein Design & Solutions, WINDEA and Bernhard Schulte Offshore created a vessel which perfectly fits the needs of the offshore wind industry.
Main particulars: Length 88 m, breadth 18 m, speed 13.5 knots and accommodation for 60 people.
These SOVs are the first vessels with the new X-STERN® hull shape. A vessel featuring the X-STERN can be positioned with the stern faced towards the weather instead of the bow, leading to improved weather resistance, greater operability and reduced power and fuel consumption while on DP mode.
The X-STERN® is a further development from the X-BOW®, and was awarded Next Generation Ship Award in 2015.