Norwegian company Vard has signed contract for the design and construction of a new vessel concept for the green transition, an Energy Construction Vessel (ECV), with Wind Energy Construction, the order including an option for a second vessel.
Wind Energy Construction is a Norwegian company partly owned by the founders and owners of Norwind Offshore. This is the sixth vessel which the owners of Norwind Offshore have contracted with Vard since October 2021. The five previous vessels were CSOVs.
The ECV will be to a new Vard 3 11 design, tailored for the offshore wind and subsea market, including inspection, maintenance and repair of pipes, and construction and installation of infrastructure above and below sea level. The design is intended to offer best possible station-keeping, manoeuvrability, and sea keeping and to allow for flexible configuration depending on the specific operations the vessel will perform.
Vard Group technology subsidiary Vard Electro will instal a comprehensive suite of SeaQ equipment to enable sustainable solutions tailored for the vessel. This includes SeaQ Power with an energy storage system of 1MWh, SeaQ shore connection for green port stays, SeaQ Bridge with full integration to all systems and a SeaQ Communication package. The SeaQ Control system will have an innovative portable monitoring station that enhances the flexibility and accessibility for the operators to monitor and manage the maritime operations.
This is the first construction vessel Vard will build with a motion-compensated gangway (walk-to-work) permanently installed. A walk-to-work electric controlled motion compensated (ECMC) gangway with integrated 3D compensated crane functionality will be installed. To expand capacities, especially towards the growing renewables market, a movement-compensated offshore crane of 150t will be installed.
Norwind Offshore CEO Svein Leon Aure said: “We are pleased to have, together with Vard, developed a new vessel category which will enable the development of renewable energy to an even greater extent. The concept builds on vessels within the construction market which we have previously built with Vard, and we feel confident that this will play an important role in the development of, among other things, offshore wind in the coming years.”
Torgeir Haugan, Vard SVP Sales and Marketing, said: “We are delighted that the people behind Norwind Offshore and Wind Energy Construction choses Vard when broadening their fleet of vessels, this time with their advanced Energy Construction Vessel targeting both the promising oil and and gas subsea market as well as strengthening the foothold in the renewable offshore wind market. This contract shows that Vard maintains its technological and industrial leadership in the offshore market. Together with the customer we push boundaries and continue to develop our vessels to the best of our customers wanting to be a part of the green transition. We welcome Norwind Offshore and Wind Energy Construction back and look forward to continuous collaboration.”
The vessel will be built, outfitted, commissioned and delivered from Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam, with scheduled delivery in mid-2027. It will be 111.5m long, with 22.4m beam, and have accommodation for 120 personnel onboard.
Image: Vard 3 11 ECV (source: Vard Group)
