Shanghai Electric takes delivery of Ulstein-designed SOV duo

Newbuild Shanghai Electric SOV duo: a pair, but not twins. [Phpto: Ulstein]

On Friday, 16 August, Shanghai Electric celebrated naming and delivery of two service operation vessels (SOVs) at ZPMC, Qidong base, China.

Based on two different ship designs from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, the Zhi Cheng 60 and Zhi Zen 100 are the first purpose-designed vessels built for the Chinese offshore wind industry.

For optimal seakeeping characteristics, both vessels are designed with Ulstein X-Bow and X-stern solutions. The resulting substantial reductions in slamming and following vibrations enhance personnel comfort and safety. Performance benefits include superior station keeping, enhanced wave response, and increased operability in high seas.

The Zhi Cheng 60 is an Ulstein SX197 design measuring 72.6 meters in length and 17.5 meters in beam. It can accommodate 60 people and has a deck area of 400 square meters.

Based on the larger Ulstein SX195 design, the Zhi Zhen 100 has a length of 93.4 meters and a beam of 18 meters. It can accommodate up to 100 people and has a total deck area of 620 square meters.

Both vessels are outfitted with an advanced battery energy storage system and a DC-based common main drive system, which accommodate the main propulsion drives, the thruster drives and the main distribution system, and high-capacity DP2 dynamic positioning systems. The vessels also feature advanced walk-to-work motion-compensated gangways, offshore cranes, and high-speed daughter crafts, ensuring safe and efficient transfer of personnel and spare parts for wind turbine maintenance.

Personnel from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS performed the inclining tests of the vessels as a part of their comprehensive commissioning programs.

“The choice for Ulstein design has been based on their market leadership, proven track record and local presence,” said Liu Xiangnan, vice president of wind power company at Shanghai Electric. During the process of developing these concepts, Ulstein has been dedicated to their professionalism and expertise. Close collaborations among Ulstein, the yard ZPMC and Shanghai Electric have set a strong foundation for the projects. Shanghai Electric is the leading provider of offshore wind turbines in China. With these two world-class SOVs, we believe we can bring more value to our clients and provide a safer working environment to our colleagues at sea.”

“We are delighted to see the completion of these two SOV vessels for Shanghai Electric and wish the vessels and their crews fair winds and following seas,” said Ulstein Design & Solutions AS managing director Runar Muren. “Our collaboration with the ZPMC shipyard dates back to 2012. Together with Shanghai Electric, we are dedicated to our vision: We create tomorrow’s solutions for sustainable marine operations. We firmly believe that the vessels will be important assets in the sustainable development of the domestic offshore wind industry in China.”