Windea La Cour Goes to Work

 

The newly built Windea La Cour incorporates the X-STERN: a pointed stern instead of a conventional transom stern, offering increased comfort and flexibility due to reduced vibrations and slamming, according to Ulstein. These are key assets for the Norwegian-designed and -built vessel, which will accommodate, transport and transfer technicians from shore to the Gemini wind turbines via a motion compensated gangway.

 

Windea La Cour, a purpose-built service operation vessel (SOV) for the offshore wind industry, was delivered by Ulstein Verft on June 23, 2016 to owners Bernhard Schulte Offshore/ICBC Leasing and named in a ceremony in Hamburg on June 30. Now contracted by Siemens Wind Power Service to ensure the production of green energy from 150 wind turbines in the Gemini wind farm in the Dutch part of the North Sea, the vessel is operated by WINDEA Offshore.

 

On the sea trial, the crew wanted to test the vessel’s abilities going astern, pushing the vessel to the max speed backwards. As a result of the X-STERN, the ship managed to keep a speed of 12.1 knots while backing, as compared to her forward speed of 13.95 knots, a difference of less than 2 knots.

 

The X-STERN shares much of the same characteristics as Ulstein’s patented X-BOW bow design, also featured on the Windea La Cour. Ulstein said the vessel will experience no bow or stern impact in terms of slamming, as the acceleration levels are lower. Also, vibration levels will be lower and the sustained speed is higher.

 

Additionally, the designer noted that a vessel featuring the X-STERN can be positioned with the stern faced towards the weather instead only with the bow. This leads to improved weather resilience, greater operability and reduced power and fuel consumption while on DP mode. 

 

BS Offshore has another SOVl under construction at Ulstein Verft, where the ship is built, equipped and painted inside a covered dock hall, ensuring a controlled atmosphere and the best quality of work. The vessel will be launched from the dock hall in two months, before going on sea trial at the end of the year.

Designer: Ulstein Design & Solutions AS

Builder ULSTEIN VERFT AS (yard number 309)

Owner: Bernhard Schulte Offshore/ICBC Leasing

Operator: WINDEA Offshore

Length: 88 m

Beam: 18 m

Dead weight: 3490 tonnes

Draught (max): 6.4 m

Speed (max): 13.9 kn

Accommodation: 60 POB

Deck area: 380 sqm

 

Fuel oil: 1,150 cbm

Fresh water: 1,200 cbm

Ballast water: 2,400 cbm

 

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