Singapore-based offshore shipping, shipbuilding, and ship maintenance company Marco Polo Marine has partnered up with green tech ship design company Seatech Solutions International to co-develop two new specialized offshore wind service, operation, and maintenance vessel and the commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV), for the global offshore wind farm market.
When completed, these vessels will be the first SOV and CSOV designed in Asia, Marco Polo Marine said. Worth noting, Vard last week delivered the first Asia newbuild Service Operation Vessel for the offshore wind industry, from its Vung Tau shipyard in Vietnam.
Sharing more info on the CSOV and SOV it plans to design with Seatech Solutions, Marco Polo Marine said: "In line with environmental sustainability targets, the SOV and CSOV will also be constructed with a focus on energy efficiency. Equipped with a full suite of daughter craft, elevator towers and skidding systems, the bespoke designed vessels will be future-ready with hybrid battery-based energy storage systems (ESS), enhanced automation and drone-equipped capabilities," Marco Polo marine said.
These features will cut fuel consumption and emissions by up to 15%-20% as compared to a non-diesel electric hybrid vessel, the company said.
The MP S80-20 SOV and S83-21 CSOV will each have a 3D motion-compensated crane and gangway, while the launching, landing, and storing of drones are incorporated in each vessel’s design and workflow.
The SOV and CSOV will be able to accommodate up to 60 persons and up to 110 persons respectively.
"The vessel interior is designed for premium comfort with large windows for maximum day light. Special attention has been paid to a clean and neat layout, giving rise to a modern user-centric workflow for wind turbine technicians," the company said.
The SOV functions as a mother ship for wind turbine technicians performing maintenance and service work at offshore wind farms, while the CSOV is designed to support commissioning works during the construction of offshore wind farms, as well as their maintenance operations.
'Giant leap forward'
Sean Lee, Chief Executive Officer of Marco Polo Marine, commented: “It gives us great pleasure to unveil the co-development project for these first-of-their-kind, specialized vessels to support the supply and logistics needs of the offshore wind farm sector. This project also showcases Marco Polo Marine’s established track record in constructing Offshore Supply Vessels, as well as its extensive operational expertise in servicing the
offshore wind farm market.”
Lee added: “Essentially, the SOV and CSOV represent a milestone and a giant leap forward for the offshore maritime industry, as it transitions to fuels with a lower or minimal carbon footprint. This project brings together different industry players with aligned values to cut greenhouse gas emissions, which dovetails with global and Singapore government initiatives to combat climate change.”
Prabjot Singh Chopra, VP Technical of Seatech, stated: “We are excited to partner with Marco Polo in the development of these wind farm support vessels from Asia for the global renewable energy industry. Built through leveraging our extensive database of offshore vessels and ultra-fuel efficient DP technology solutions, the SOV and CSOV will be designed to operate in severe weather conditions, combining the higher level of
comfort with ergonomics and a reduced carbon footprint.”