Shipbuilder Ulstein Bags SOV Order
Ulstein Verft has signed a shipbuilding contract with the Germany-based Bernhard Schulte for a service operation vessel (SOVs) of the ULSTEIN SX195 design type developed by Ulstein Design & Solutions. The vessel will support the maintenance work of GE Renewable Energy at the German wind farm Merkur Offshore.
The project has been developed in cooperation with WINDEA Offshore, which is the Bernhard Schulte's affiliate for offshore wind projects.
"Ulstein Verft is a very reliable yard and we are eager to start working together with ULSTEIN again. We have worked closely and successfully together on two former projects, and these vessels are operating very good in the field," says Matthias Müller, Managing Director at Bernhard Schulte Offshore GmbH.
"We have previously designed and built several vessels within the renewable energy segment. Sustainable growth is essential for us and we look forward to working with Bernhard Schulte again, an important player in the offshore wind segment," says Ulstein Group CEO Gunvor Ulstein.
"This will be our third service operation vessel to Bernhard Schulte and it shall be delivered early 2020. The first two vessels were delivered in 2016 and 2017. We will do our outmost to fulfil their expectations also this time," comments Kristian Sætre, Managing Director at Ulstein Verft.
The vessel is of the SX195 design type and is thoroughly developed by Ulstein's design team in Ulstein Design & Solutions. The design is modified to fulfill the GE Renewable Energy tender requirements and the ship owner's special choices of mission equipment. It has a large, centrally positioned walk to work motion compensated gangway and elevator tower for personnel and cargo transfers. Furthermore, a 3D compensated crane capable of two-ton cargo lifts is available. The optimized onboard logistics includes large storage capacities, of which half is under roof in a controlled environment, and stepless approach to the offshore installations. The vessel is equipped with a fuel-efficient drive system including battery-solution from ULSTEIN. With all main equipment and operations in the aft ship, the vessel will naturally operate astern while in-field. Keeping the X-STERN towards the weather, there will be no slamming, noise or vibrations caused by the waves. The crew will get complete rest between shifts.
The vessel will be 93.4m long and 18m wide and is optimized for offshore wind. The vessel can accommodate up to 120 persons. The facilities on board are modern and of a high quality. The ship is flexible and attractive for work within areas such as O&M (Operation and Maintenance) or construction support especially in challenging weather and sea conditions.
