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, high-performance ship design to meet the needs of commercial-scale projects, such as the 17 GW of floating projects awarded in the ScotWind leasing round.
North Star will lead the vessel design process, ensuring that logistics and service needs are fully integrated to meet real-world demands in the field.
Digital twin and AI decision support software firm MO4, will be responsible for assessing the workability of the proposed SOV concept, focusing on vessel motions, gangway performance, and the movement range of the floating wind turbine foundations.
Principle Power will contribute its 15 years of experience designing, deploying, and operating floating wind platforms to provide critical data on the range of motions expected from WindFloat platforms and to define operational use cases for inspection, maintenance, and repair, ensuring that the SOV is optimised for the next generation of floating wind projects
International offshore equipment design and build specialist SMST, will bring its expertise in gangway technology, providing essential data on different walk-to-work options, workability parameters, and solutions for landing height adjustments to ensure safe and efficient personnel transfers
As key integrator, Vard, a major global designer and specialized vessel shipbuilder, will combine inputs from all partners to develop a cohesive floating offshore wind ship design, ensuring that every aspect is optimised for performance and workability.
Global technology company Voith Group, will contribute propulsion options, selecting the most suitable DP systems to maintain stability and performance in the challenging environment of floating offshore wind.
“Floating offshore wind presents both challenges and opportunities, and through this collaboration, we can innovate, and design a solution specifically tailored for GW-scale projects.
"Our goal is to create an innovative, best-in-class ship design that supports the rapid expansion of floating wind technology. By pushing the boundaries of what's possible, we can ensure that our future SOVs deliver the highest levels of safety, efficiency, and operational flexibility, ultimately paving the way for a more sustainable energy future,” said Andrew Duncan, North Star’s renewables and innovations director.