Esvagt Njord to receive NextOcean motion prediction system

NextOcean has secured a contract to install its WavePredictor motion prediction technology aboard the Danish-flagged service operation vessel Esvagt Njord, which supports operations and maintenance activities at the Dudgeon offshore wind farm.

The Netherlands-based company said the system combines motion radar hardware with predictive software designed to provide crews with real-time forecasts of vessel movements. The technology is intended to improve operational decision-making during offshore transfers by giving bridge teams advance information on expected vessel motions in changing sea conditions.

According to NextOcean, the installation will expand the use of its technology within the offshore service vessel sector, where operators continue to seek ways of improving safety and maximising operational availability during offshore wind farm support activities.

The company said WavePredictor is particularly relevant for service operation vessels, where crews routinely make operational decisions on whether conditions are suitable for technician transfers to offshore installations.

"On an SOV, the crew makes dozens of go/no-go calls a day,” explained Karel Roozen, chief executive of NextOcean. “Our system shows the officer on watch what the vessel is going to do in the coming minutes, so that call is backed by verified predictions and not by feel alone. On a field like Dudgeon, where technicians need to get onto the turbine as often as the weather allows, that means both safer transfers and more workable days."

The motion radar and associated software are scheduled to be installed aboard Esvagt Njord this month. Once commissioned, the system will support the vessel's ongoing role in maintaining and servicing offshore wind turbines in the North Sea.