A brand new offshore wind ship design

The agreement makes North Star the first to adopt and utilise the Midi-SOV on offshore wind projects, investing in upfront design fees to facilitate vessel construction for European operations.

“North Star has been investigating this sector for several years and initiated the collaborative project with Chartwell and VARD as a route to market.”

”Our assessment has shown that the Midi-SOV has a key role to play in European offshore wind vessel fleets, particularly as activity ramps up in the North Sea and the Baltics,” said Andrew Duncan, renewables and innovations director at North Star.

”We’re excited about the operational versatility the design can give us, as well as the high standards of safety, availability and cost efficiency it promises – and proud to play our part in bringing the first Midi-SOVs to market.”

Bench mark design

The Midi-SOV is a 55-metre offshore wind craft ready for build in the European, Asian and US markets.

It addresses challenges in the offshore wind sector by bridging the gap between (CTVs) and Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), providing enhanced comfort and workability while offering a cost-effective alternative to full scale SOVs.

With a design that has been optimised based on operational data to meet the niche requirements of offshore wind developers and operators, the Midi-SOV is intended to directly complement existing fleets.

The vessel has been designed to enhance project economics through increased yield and scalability, while also improving access with year-round availability, even in adverse weather conditions – providing 13 additional hours of access per day compared to some CTV models during winter months.

Last week, Chartwell, VARD and North Star, held a collaborative evening working group on Wednesday 12 June at the Royal Southern Yacht Club during the internation commercial exhibition, Seawork.

Individuals were invited to review and critique the design, offering direct feedback on its strengths and areas for refinement to enhance the operational capability of the Midi-SOV.