Sov News

Dutch offshore equipment supplier SMST has secured a new contract from Norwegian shipbuilder Vard for the delivery of two sets of mission equipment to be installed on an additional two of North Star’s newbuild Service Operation Vessels (SOVs).These vessels are part of a long-term charter agreement between shipowner and operator North Star and energy company RWE.SMST previously supplied similar equipment for the first two CSOVs, the Grampian Eagle and Grampian Kestrel, which are also set to operate for RWE.RWE…

Asia-Pacific region offshore wind developer Synera Renewable Energy (SRE) has awarded a 15-year service contract to Dong Fang Offshore (DFO) for the provision of a service operations vessel (SOV) to support the operations and maintenance (O&M) of SRE’s offshore wind assets.Under the contract, DFO will provide a newly built, Taiwan-flagged SOV to support Formosa 4 offshore wind project from the construction phase onward.Custom-designed for Taiwan’s offshore conditions, the vessel…

Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has secured an order from U.K.’s largest shipowner and operator North Star for the construction of two hybrid Service Operation Vessels (SOVs).The contract represents the ninth and tenth vessel ordered by North Star from VARD, following previous orders for four SOVs, two Construction Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs), and two Vard Design vessels built at an external shipyard.The new vessels will be developed by Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway, based on the VARD 4 19 platform…

Germany’s largest utility RWE and U.K.’s largest shipowner-operator North Star have signed long-term agreements for next-generation service operation vessels (SOVs) to maintain RWE’s growing offshore wind fleet.The companies have agreed that RWE will charter two SOVs, the Grampian Eagle and the Grampian Kestrel, from North Star, both capable of using alternative low-emission fuels.Full marine services will be delivered by North Star as part of the charters.RWE and North Star have also signed reservation agreements for two newbuild vessels delivered by the Norwegian Vard Group.

Dutch offshore equipment supplier SMST has been selected by Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) for the delivery of two sets of mission equipment, with an option for a third set, for service operation vessels (SOVs) ordered by Vattenfall.The Telescopic Access Bridges (TAB-L1), Access and Cargo Towers (ACT) and the 5t Motion Compensated Cranes (MCC-M) will be supplied to LDA’s newbuild SOVs.The by Salt designed vessels, to be built at Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC)…

North Star, a U.K.-based service operation vessel (SOV) operator, has become the first organization in the world to have ships achieve Lloyd’s Register’s Cyber Resilience classification.The classification is in line with mandatory International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) standards implemented for all newbuilds from July 1, 2024.North Star’s new commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs), the Grampian Kestrel and Grampian Eagle, are the first in the world…

Northern Offshore Group (N-O-G), an NYK Group company, has purchased Mistral Enabler service operation vessel (SOV) from Edda Wind.The 81-meter-long Mistral Enabler SOV, with an onboard capacity for 60 people, will be renamed Northern Ocean.N-O-G owns more than 60 crew transfer vessels (CTVs) and has previously managed SOVs, but this is its first owned SOV. An SOV is a large ship that transports workers and materials to construct and maintain offshore wind power generation facilitiesAdding…

Maritime system supplier Brunvoll has signed a contract with Vard to deliver a comprehensive package of propulsion and maneuvering thrusters for five Walk-2-Work (W2W) Service Operation Vessels (SOVs).Brunvoll’s delivery for each vessel consists of two azimuth propulsion thrusters, two retractable azimuth thrusters, and two tunnel thrusters.The vessels will also feature Brunvoll’s Propulsion and Thruster Control system, BruCon PTC, for efficient and accurate maneuvering.Featuring VARD 3 32 design…

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…

Watson Farley & Williams (‘WFW’) advised Eurazeo, acting as lead investor via its Eurazeo Transition Infrastructure Fund, on a $73m investment in new offshore service vessel platform MPC OSE Offshore. The platform, a joint venture between MPC Capital and O.S. Energy, helps develop, build, and manage service support vessels for offshore wind farms. The consortium of investors comprised the European family office and others in addition to Eurazeo.A leading European investment group with $37bn AUM, Eurazeo supports 600+ mid-market companies across Europe, Asia, and the United States.MPC Capital is a global investment and asset manager with $5bn AUM specializing in transport…

French ship owner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has selected SALT as the naval architect and Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC) as the shipyard for the construction of three new service operation vessels (SOVs) ordered by Vattenfall.SALT, an offshore vessel designer and long-time partner of LDA, has been entrusted with the development of the new SOVs.ZPMC has been chosen as the shipyard for the construction of the new SOVs.The new SOVs will integrate high-end European components…

Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam launched its new Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) series.A standout projects in the Vuyk Engineering portfolio is the Groenewind, the world's first DP2 twin-hulled SWATH SOV. Developed in collaboration with DEME, this vessel is designed to operate efficiently in high sea states, featuring a slender hull that minimizes fuel consumption, advanced DP2 technology for precise positioning, and a motion-compensated gangway for safe crew transfers.

The offshore wind sector is bracing for transformative changes as it navigates shifting political landscapes and evolving market demands. To shed light on the current state of the industry, Maritime Reporter TV interviewed Phil Lewis, Director of Research at Intelatus, an international offshore energy markets expert, to discuss the trends shaping the Service Operation Vessel (SOV) and Construction Service Operation Vessel (CSOV) markets and the future of U.S. offshore wind under…

AST Reygar has introduced its BareFLEET remote monitoring system, a solution designed to optimize Service Operation Vessels (SOV) performance in real-time, while providing long-term operational insights.BareFLEET delivers actionable insights across key areas, including fuel consumption, emissions, vessel motion, gangway operability, and navigation activity.The system was developed in response to challenges faced by SOV operators responding to unprecedented growth of offshore wind…

North Star has launched a partnership which includes MO4, Principle Power, SMST, Vard, and Voith Group to fast-track the development of high-performance operations and maintenance ships tailored for floating offshore wind farms.The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a dedicated working group of industry experts to help fast-track the design and testing of a new service operations vessel (SOV) concept.Together, the six organizations have committed to developing a detailed…

North Star, ScottishPower Renewables and Siemens Gamesa have launched a competition for local people in East Anglia to suggest the name for a new hybrid-powered service operation vessel (SOV), bound for work at the East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm.The North Star SOV will accommodate up to 60 of Siemens Gamesa’s wind technicians as they work offshore maintaining all 95 wind turbines at the East Anglia Hub development.This is one of five SOVs North Star currently has under construction for the offshore wind sector…

Norwegian shipbuilder Vard has secured a contract to provide design and equipment to Cochin Shipyard in India for two Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), one of VARD 4 07 and one of VARD 4 19 design, being built for North Star.Vard has previously delivered 12 designs to the Cochin Shipyard. The first hybrid electric SOV to be delivered by Cochin Shipyard is of VARD 4 07 design and is tailored to meet North Star’s specific requirements.The focus has been to develop a competitive…

Shanghai Electric earlier this month celebrated the combined naming and delivery of two service operation vessels (SOV) at ZPMC, Qidong base, China. The vessels are based on two different ship designs from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS and are the first purpose-designed vessels for the offshore wind industry in China.The Zhi Cheng 60 is an ULSTEIN SX197 design measuring 72.6m in length and 17.5m in beam. It can accommodate 60 people and has a deck area of 400 sqm.The Zhi Zhen 100 is based on the larger ULSTEIN SX195 design.

AUGUST 16, 2024 - Today, the first two China-built offshore wind power SOVs (Service Operation Vessels) ZHI ZHEN 100 and ZHI CHENG 60 was held in Qidong, China. The two SOVs were delivered by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. to Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group Co., Ltd., with Schulte Marine Concept (SMC) responsible for plan approval and vessels’ construction and commissioning supervision.“We are proud to have been part of this historic project," said Krzysztof Kozdron, Managing Director of SMC.

Green Marine (UK)’s initiative looking to retrofit crew transfer vessels (CTV) with hydrogen, fuel cells and battery, with the aim to cut emissions while servicing offshore wind farms, has been granted Approval in Principle (AiP) by global classification society RINA.The first phase of Project Verdant, involving a preliminary design and feasibility study, has now been completed and deemed viable, opening the door to subsequent project phases seeking to execute design, engineering and sea trials.Led by Green Marine (UK)…

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has signed a deal with Ta San Shang Marine (TSSM) for the construction of new service operation vessel (SOV) for Taiwanese offshore wind operations.This is the third newbuilding SOV for TSSM, a joint venture between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Ta Tong Marine (TSS), following the first newly built SOV in Asia the TSS Pioneer, delivered in 2022, and the TSS Cruiser, which was ordered in November 2023 and is scheduled for delivery at the end of 2025.The third vessel is designed to be methanol-ready as a future fuel…

North Star, specialist vessel operator for offshore infrastructure support services, has been announced as the first mover on the Midi-SOV – a new offshore wind ship design developed by Chartwell Marine and Vard that bridges the gap between crew transfer vessel (CTV) and service operation vessel (SOV).North Star has entered an agreement with Chartwell and Vard becoming the first to adopt and utilize the Midi-SOV on offshore wind projects, investing in upfront design fees to facilitate…

As the offshore wind industry grows, so too does the number of purpose-built SOVs and CSOVs needed to support this clean energy sector. Maritime Matters sits down with Siemens Energy’s Trygve Øi Akselsen and Intelatus Global Partners’ Philip Lewis to discuss how evolving technologies are helping to drive performance and efficiency gains across the global fleet.