DEME has launched its first ever Service Operation Vessel (SOV) at the CEMRE shipyard in Yalova, Turkey.
Named ‘Groene Wind’, the Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) vessel will be deployed for wind farm maintenance activities.
Groene Wind is due for delivery in 2021 and will be directly chartered to Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy for the maintenance of the Rentel and Mermaid & Seastar (known as SeaMade) offshore wind farms in Belgium.
The name Groene Wind (green wind) reflects DEME’s ambitions to remain a leader in the offshore wind industry.
DEME’s in-house newbuild team worked in close collaboration with Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam and research institute MARIN. The new vessel improves safety, comfort and workability for wind farm technicians – even in the roughest sea conditions.
The SWATH design ensures low wave impact on movements when approaching wind turbines, compared to a traditional monohull SOV.
Groene Wind will enable safe crew transfers in significant wave heights. Its DP2 technology means that the vessel can hold its position in rough seas but at the same time operate with lower fuel consumption when compared to traditional SOVs.
At 60 meters long, the SOV will be equipped with a motion compensated gangway and daughter craft to safely transfer technicians to the wind turbines. It is also designed according to the latest comfort standards, allowing the vessel to be a homely offshore base for up to 24 technicians and a nautical crew.
“We are proud about this major milestone and look forward to welcoming Groene Wind to our fleet. She highlights the DEME innovative spirit and our willingness to invest in green technologies. This further boosts our ability to serve the growing offshore wind industry, throughout the entire lifetime of an offshore wind farm. We are delighted to take this important step together with our partner Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, which also shares our ambitions for the energy transition.”
Michael Glavind, Business Unit director DEME Offshore.
“Siemens Gamesa is dedicated to finding flexible and competitive solutions. The Rentel and SeaMade wind farms make up the largest wind power installation in Belgium and with DEME’s first ever SOV Groene Wind we will be able to provide further optimized and safe maintenance solutions.”
Rene Wigmans, head of Offshore Service Logistics Siemens Gamesa.
