MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has signed a 10-year contract with the offshore operator Esvagt for a purpose built service operation vessel (SOV) to support technicians working on projects located up to 50 km from the Belgian coast.
Due to the distance from shore, the technicians will work and live on the vessel for two-week periods. The vessel will also function as a floating warehouse, storing spare parts and tools for servicing wind turbines offshore.
MHI Vestas explained that using the service vessel means more focus on ensuring maximum availability of the wind turbines, since less time is spent in transition.
The new vessel will be 58.5m long, with a beam of 16.6m and will be able to accommodate up to 22 technicians, all in single cabins. It will be equipped with dynamic positioning technology, and two safe transfer boats to transfer technicians, tools and spare parts to the turbines.
For the past five years, MHI Vestas technicians have used a refitted Esvagt vessel as service base to provide maintenance for the 165MW Belwind 1 project, comprising V90-3.0MW turbines.
With the upcoming installation of the 165MW Nobelwind project in 2016 using V112-3.3MW turbines, a new vessel was required as greater storage space and more cabins will be needed for technicians, spare parts and tools.
The vessel will be delivered and commence service in the second half of 2017.