Norway's New Offshore Vessel Firm Orders Offshore Wind Vessel Trio from Vard
Norway's Farstad, Volstad, and Kleven have teamed up and formed a new ship-owning company in Norway, called Norwind Offshore, focused purely on offshore wind.For this, Norwind Offshore has already entered into a contract with Vard for the delivery of three vessels by 2024.As part of the order, Vard will design and build two Commissioning Service Operations Vessels (CSOVs) with options for two additional vessels. Also, an order has been placed with Vard for the sales and conversion of one Platform Supply Vessel to be converted to a Service Operation Vessel (SOV).
Kongsberg to Deliver $40M Tech Package for First Jones-act WTIV
Norway's Kongsberg Maritime has secured a $40 million contract to supply an integrated technology solution for the first U.S.-built wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) - the Charybdis.The vessel, being built at Keppel AmFELS shipyard in the U.S., is being constructed for US energy company Dominion Energy. The vessel is expected to be delivered by the end of 2023 and will be among the largest of its kind.The new WTIV will be able to transport and install several sets of next-generation wind turbines and their foundations.
NOIA President Comments on Senators' Proposed Offshore Revenue Sharing Bill
“NOIA thanks Senators Murkowski and Landrieu for continuing their visionary leadership on the revenue sharing issue by offering this bill. NOIA has long advocated revenue sharing as fair and equitable treatment for coastal states supporting responsible offshore oil and gas exploration and development. Allowing all coastal states to share in prospective future revenue from both traditional and renewable offshore energy activities is sound public policy. However, steps must be taken…
ABS Offers Guidance For New Generation OSVs
Increased sophistication within the offshore support vessel (OSV) market has prompted classification society ABS to develop standalone guidance for these more specialized yet multi-functional vessels. Newly developed criteria and relevant existing Rule requirements have been consolidated into the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Offshore Support Vessels. ABS classes approximately one-third of the worldwide OSV fleet and in the past had reviewed these specialized vessels by following the ABS Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels Under 90 Meters (295 Feet) in Length.
ClassNK and NMRI Cooperation Agreement
Japan’s National Maritime Research Institute (NMRI) and ClassNK signed an extensive cooperation agreement at a press conference in Tokyo. The comprehensive agreement commits the two organizations to a far reaching cooperative research program, including joint R&D on new GHG emission reduction technologies and the development of new training programs for marine engineers. ClassNK, which has maintained its own independent maritime research center since 1955, and NMRI, Japan’s leading maritime research body…
MMS Funds Research for Offshore Renewables
The Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) recently funded four research studies to identify technological and operational safety issues related to the future development of offshore renewable energy on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The studies focus on inspection methodologies and design characteristics of offshore wind turbines, installation and removal costs of ocean energy devices, and potential seafloor effects associated with the installation of renewable energy devices. “We still have much to learn about offshore renewable energy activities”, said MMS Director Liz Birnbaum. “We are continuously evaluating existing regulations and standards to adapt to these new technologies.
