Norwegian ship designer and shipbuilder Ulstein has sent its first ever wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) on sea trials.
The SOV is the first of two being constructed for Bernhard Schulte Offshore and chartered out to Siemens Wind Power Service.
She will be deployed at the Gemini offshore wind farm off the Netherlands once delivered in the second quarter of 2016.
Both vessels are based on the SX175 design from Ulstein, and are equipped with the hull features X-BOW and X-STERN. The hull features improve the sea characteristics when the vessels are positioned alongside the wind turbines during transferral of service technicians from the vessel through a heave compensated gangway, Ulstein said.
The vessels have accommodation for 60 persons in single cabins, of which 40 cabins are dedicated to technicians.
The ship design and shipbuilding contract on the two SOVs was signed in 2015.