Ulstein delivers flexible vessel for the offshore wind service industry to BS Offshore
On 23 June 2016 Ulstein Verft SA delivered to Bernhard Schulte Offshore (BS Offshore) a modern Ulstein designed flexible SOV (service operation vessel), of SX175 design. A partly outfitted hull for the SOV has been built and delivered to Ulstein by Polish company Crist SA. This has been the first of two vessels ordered in Ulstein, which subcontracted their hulls to be built at Crist.
When BS Offshore and their client Siemens ordered a service operation vessel from Ulstein Verft in 2015, they saw the benefit of having the ship designer and the yard in one place. The vessel is now completed.
– We saw the benefit of having the designer and the yard in one place. Ulstein has the same approach as us – always going the extra mile to delight the final customer – says Matthias Müller, Managing Director at Bernhard Schulte Offshore GmbH.
– Together, we have developed a flexible and effective ship solution for the offshore wind service market – says Tore Ulstein, deputy CEO and Head of Market & Innovations in Ulstein Group.
– The project process has been very smooth, and the combination of expertise in our companies has led to fruitful discussions. We are happy to deliver, on schedule, this state-of-the-art SOV vessel, and are certain that she will serve BS Offshore and Siemens in a most satisfactorily way – he emphasizes.
During sea trial, the bridge crew noted the vessel’s smooth motions and the very low levels of noise and vibrations, all these being important factors in a vessel in which one of the main tasks is to transport service technicians to the Gemini Offshore Wind Park, 85 kilometres north of the Dutch province of Groningen and a five-hour trip from shore.
The new-developed X-STERN aft hull design has an importance when it comes to the flexibility of the vessel. At sea trial, she managed to keep up high speed forwards and also when backing, and she is easily manoeuvred both ways.
The vessel is equipped with two varieties of transferral to the wind turbines, an integrated Uptime heave-compensated gangway system and a daughter craft with a capacity of 10 people.
The load capacity is well exploited. Spare parts and equipment can be transported in containers, of which 6 can be placed on deck and 6 under deck. The vessel provides excellent workshop facilities. The SOV has accommodation for 60 in single cabins, of which 40 cabins are dedicated to the technicians.
The BLUEDRIVE PlusC™ electric propulsion system from Siemens lowers the operational costs by cutting the engine time at the rated speed and reducing the number of electrical components required. Emissions are reduced by optimizing combustion.
The X-STERN and the X-BOW are hull design features which increase the operability through positive effects on station keeping, wave response, comfort and safety, and with reduced power and fuel consumption while on DP.
Let us recall, that also a Polish company has contributed to the construction. Partly outfitted hulls for both vessels have been built at Polish company Crist SA. The hull (no. 309) for the above-mentioned SOV was towed out from the SDII graving dock and from the port of Gdynia on December 16, 2015, by the tug Stadt Sloevaag. The same tug also towed the hull for the newbuilding no. 310 from Gdynia to Ulstein Verft AS in Ulsteinvik on April 28, 2016.
GL, rel (Ulstein)
