Norwegian offshore wind services company Edda Wind has ordered three more Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOV) in addition to the six vessels the company has under construction.
The vessels are designed for service operations during the commissioning and operation of offshore wind farms. The three vessels will be prepared for the installation of zero-emission technology in the same way as the first six vessels, based on funding from Enova, according to Edda Wind.
"Including the three latest newbuildings, the company will have a fleet of eleven purpose-built vessels, of which six are contracted on mid- to long term contracts with key clients like Ørsted, Vestas, Ocean Breeze, SSE, and Siemens Gamesa," Haugesund-based Edda Wind said.
When it comes to the three newly ordered vessels, one vessel will be built at Astilleros Gondan (“Gondan”), Spain and two vessels to be built at Colombo Dockyard PLC (“Colombo”), Sri Lanka. In addition, the company has options with the yards to build more vessels.
Kenneth Walland, CEO of Edda Wind: "Ordering another three purpose-built CSOVs will further strengthen Edda Wind’s leading position within offshore wind. By building a series of vessels like this, and with the experience and knowledge we have from the vessels currently under construction, we are able to acquire these vessels at competitive prices. Tremendous growth is expected in the offshore wind market over the next decades, and the move is a clear signal on Edda Wind’s ambition to be a world-leading provider in this segment."
In the fourth quarter of 2021 Edda Wind was listed at Oslo Stock exchange through an IPO, raising almost NOK 1 bn in new capital.
"This latest investment delivers on the growth strategy, capitalizing on the position Edda Wind has built with clients, yards, and other stakeholders and further strengthening our position as the leading pure-play offshore wind vessel provider”, says Walland.
The newbuild, to be built at Gondan shipyard, is a Salt 0217 design and a planned delivery in July 2024. The vessel will be a sister vessel of the four vessels already under construction at Gondan.
"The vessel will be number eighteen ordered by companies with relation to the Østensjø Group, including seven Edda Wind vessels. With this track record, it is needless to say that we consider Gondan to be an excellent shipbuilder. We know their capabilities very well, and the yard has proven to deliver the quality we require and are very happy to enter into a new contract with them,” said Walland.
The two newbuilds at Colombo will be of Salt 0425 design, which is a further development of the Salt 0217 design. The first vessel will be delivered in January 2024 and the second vessel in July 2024.
"The 89.3 meters long vessels will function as mother ships for wind turbine technicians as they perform commissioning and maintenance work on the wind turbines. Comfortable cabins and high standard common areas can accommodate up to 97 technicians and 23 marine crew onboard. Anti-heeling and roll reduction systems will provide good working conditions onboard. The motion-compensated gangway system with an adjustable pedestal will ensure safe and optimal connections to the turbines, even in harsh weather conditions. The design is optimized for an efficient logistical operation for the turbine technicians," Edda Wind said of its new vessels, which will be delivered under the Norwegian flag.
“The main design objective has been to build the most environmentally friendly vessels without compromising operational capabilities. The vessel design will reduce emission of greenhouse gases significantly. Edda Wind continues the collaboration with Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime AS and prepares the vessels for future zero-emission technology. The technology, which is based on funding from Enova, is based on Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC), which will ensure safe and efficient use of hydrogen as an energy source” said the CEO.