Joint venture orders four special-purpose offshore vessels

“The energy market is desperate for new players and more ships,” declared Philipp Maracke, managing partner of Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt. “We will charter out the C-CSOVs worldwide, both on the spot market and for long-term contracts of up to 15 years.”

With space to accommodate up to 100 technicians in comfortable surroundings, the vessels are likely to be deployed in the offshore wind business but have been designed to work in other sectors of the offshore energy market too. The 96.25m-long ships will have large working decks with unobstructed working space of 850 m² and active heave-compensated cranes of capacity 50 tonnes.

Their fully integrated offshore gangway systems will provide access to platforms from 12-30m above the waterline and lifts will allow technicians and materials to be transported to offshore facilities quickly and without steps. A 12.4-tonne helicopter deck will satisfy the offshore industry’s requirements for these kinds of special-purpose vessels. The ships have also been designed for the use of remotely operated vehicles.

They are likely to prove popular with companies undertaking cable repairs, inspection maintenance and repair (IMR), and light construction work above and below the water. They will also appeal to wind farm developers and operators, turbine manufacturers, grid operators, and companies in the oil and gas sector.

The joint venture company has adopted a strategy of future-proofing the ships’ design. They will have 1,000-kWh battery packs, shore power connections, electric equipment, and scope to become climate-neutral with methanol retrofits in the future. The tanks and piping required for this fuel change will be installed from the outset.

Maracke founded the company together with Johannes Wolters, who also acts as managing partner. Both have extensive professional experience in the maritime industry, having worked for many years in management positions for renowned German shipyards.