Ørsted Charts Hornsea Two Course for Latest SOV

Louis Dreyfus Armateurs’ (LDA) new service operations vessel (SOV) will service Ørsted’s Hornsea Project Two offshore wind farm once delivered in 2021.

The vessel will be designed by Salt Ship Design and built at the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey.

This is LDA’s second order with Salt Ship Design, following the one from February 2017 for Wind of Change, an SOV destined for Ørsted’s German offshore wind farms Borkum Riffgrund 1 and 2 and Gode Wind 1 and 2.

“We’re delighted to have secured the delivery of this pioneering new vessel on highly competitive terms to help maintain Hornsea Project Two, which when built will be the largest offshore windfarm in the world. The hybrid DP2 propulsion system will lower carbon emissions for the operation and the vessel’s walk to work system,” said Edouard Louis-Dreyfus, President of the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group.

According to LDA, the 84 meter-long vessel will be equipped by a highly innovative hybrid propulsion system using Diesel generators with variable speed, and direct current propulsion network (DC grid), as well as the assistance of batteries capable to back up any faulty diesel generator. The SOV will enable the technicians to transfer safely to the wind turbines with a specially designed daughter craft (Workboat) and a dynamic motion compensated gangway and a helideck.

The vessel is capable of accommodating up to 60 local technicians.

“The vessel is the third SOV chartered by Ørsted to operate long term from our multi million pound East Coast Hub operations facility currently being constructed in Grimsby,” said Duncan Clark, Program Director for Hornsea Projects One and Two.

Hornsea Project Two will be built 89km from the Yorkshire coast, UK, and will be operated from Ørsted’s new O&M hub in Grimsby, where construction is underway. Once operational in 2022, it will be the world’s biggest offshore wind farm.