Vard clinches order for two CSOVs

Fincantieri subsidiary, Vard, has won an order from Germany’s Windward Offshore for the design and construction of two commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs). The contract includes an option for two additional vessels.

The ships will be built to the Vard 4 19 design with hulls constructed in the shipbuilder’s yards in Romania and Vietnam. Outfitting, commissioning, and delivery will take place at one of the company’s Norwegian yards. The first ship is due to be delivered during the second quarter of 2025.

The 87.5m-long vessels, designed by Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway, have a beam of 19.5m and will have capacity on board for 120 persons. They will be equipped with a height-adjustable, motion-compensated gangway with elevator system, and a height-adjustable, boat-landing arrangement. They will be capable of operating on green methanol in the future.

Vard Electro will provide a SeaQ package for the vessels that includes systems for the effective management of power, control, bridge, and communication. Vard Interiors will supply a HVAC-R system and interior concepts.

Windward Offshore is a consortium described in a Vard statement as ‘currently under establishment and led by ASSC’s offshore arm, SeaRenergy Group, in Germany’. SeaRenergy is the offshore wind services arm of Germany’s Rickmers family. The Asian Spirit Steamship Company GmbH & Cie. KG (ASSC) is the family’s shipping company which also has interests in other sectors including offshore wind and real estate.

SeaRenergy CEO, Dr. Benjamin Vordemfelde, commented on the partnership between Vard and his company which extends back over eight years. “The work both companies have invested now gives result when we enter a partnership on renewable tonnage, combining Vard’s shipbuilding excellence and SeaRenergy’s first-hand working experience with CSOVs on numerous offshore wind projects.”

He continued: “While the changes in the political framework have fostered the entry of new developers into the offshore wind market, the investment activities in the offshore wind infrastructure are still by far too low. ASSC has now decided to – again – be a first mover in this field to ensure availability of attractive vessel capacity in 2025 and beyond, when the wind farm projects currently under planning and permitting will be installed and commissioned.”

Beside SeaRenergy Offshore Holding GmbH, Windward Offshore’s other partners are institutional investment firm Blue Star Group GmbH & Cie. KG, Greece’s Diana Shipping Inc., and SeraVerse, a German investment company.