Louis Dreyfus Orders Wind Farm Vessel

The Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group (LDA) and Ørsted, the Danish global leader in renewables, reinforce their 2017 partnership with the order of a second service operation vessel (SOV) dedicated to Hornsea Project Two offshore wind farm off the English coast.

As sister vessel of the Wind of Change, the first SOV ordered by LDA in 2017, this second ship will also be designed in close cooperation with Salt Ship Design and will be built by CEMRE for a delivery in 2021.

The new 84-meter-long ship will be equipped by a hybrid propulsion system using diesel generators with variable speed, and direct current propulsion network (DC grid) and the assistance of batteries capable to back up any faulty diesel generator.

This second ship will enable the wind farm technicians to transfer safely to the wind turbines thanks to a specially designed daughter craft, a dynamic motion compensated gangway and a helideck.

The ship will provide an accommodation capacity up to 60 local technicians with modern comfort conditions including individual cabins, a gym and a cinema.

Edouard Louis-Dreyfus, President of the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group, said, “We are very pleased with this new partnership with Ørsted. This is a token of trust and renewed confidence from our Danish partner for our LDA knowhow and skills. This new collaboration is part of our group strategy to develop marine industrial solutions and MRE activities. Through this second partnership and this new type of service operation vessel, we are reaffirming our position in technological innovation and our commitment in favor of clean and renewable energy, essential for the future.”

Duncan Clark, Program director for Hornsea Projects One and Two, said, “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 wind farm in the world. The hybrid DP2 propulsion system will lower carbon emissions for the operation and the vessel’s walk to work system, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs’ focus on safety, and the excellent cooperation between the two companies will help to ensure those working on the project can do so without harm and get home safely once their work is done.”

Clark added, “The vessel is the third SOV chartered by Ørsted to operate long-term from our multimillion pound East Coast Hub operations facility currently being constructed in Grimsby.”

Vessel’s main specifications:
Length Overall: 84 m
Breadth: 19.4 m
Depth molded: 7 m
Draught summer (design): 5 m
Propulsion: Diesel-electric propulsion, Dynamic positioning DP2
Accommodation: Capacity of 90 persons including up to 60 windfarm technicians

Vessel’s transfer specifications:
A daughter craft with a capacity of 8 technicians and 1 ton of cargo
A motion compensated gangway (about 19m range)
A motion compensated crane (1 ton at 23 m)