Ulstein lands two-ship CSOV contract
Illustration of the 2+2 CSOVs designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. The new CSOVs have a centrally positioned walk-to-work motion-compensated gangway, an elevator tower for personnel and cargo transfers, and will be able to accommodate 132 people. (Source: Ulstein)
Norway’s Ulstein Verft has won an order for two, option two, construction service operation vessels (CSOV) from J.P. Morgan Asset Management on behalf of institutional investors. The ships will have hybrid battery propulsion systems and be capable of running on green methanol for carbon-neutral operation in the future.
Last year, Bernhard Schulte Offshore ordered the design and construction of two such vessels at Ulstein. The contract included options for two, plus two units. These options have now been transferred to institutional investors advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management, and the first two options have now been declared.
The 89.6m-long ships, based on the Ulstein SX222 design, will be capable of working in operation and maintenance as well as construction support, especially in challenging weather, Ulstein said. The flexible vessels will have accommodation for 132 persons, 110 of them in single cabins.
They will be adapted to the shipowner’s needs with a large, centrally positioned walk-to-work motion-compensated gangway and elevator tower for personnel and cargo transfers. With large storage capacities, they will have a 3D crane capable of five-tonne offshore cargo lifts, as well as a stepless approach to offshore installations.
Andrian Dacy, global head of J.P. Morgan Asset Management’s Global Transportation Group, commented: "We are excited to add to our existing presence in the offshore wind maintenance sector. These latest technology CSOVs will play a critical role in the development and delivery of renewable energy and global energy decarbonisation."
Speaking for Ulstein, Group CEO, Gunvor Ulstein, said: “The offshore wind industry is an important enabler to achieve climate goals, and we believe that our fuel-efficient ships will be vital assets in this mission.”
The J.P. Morgan Global Transportation Group has been investing in the transportation industry since 2010 and actively manages over $8bn in transportation assets in the maritime, energy logistic, intermodal, rail, and aircraft segments.
