LDA Service Operation Vessel showcases range of ABB solutions

MAY 30, 2018 — Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has ordered a second Service Operation Vessel (SOV) dedicated to the Hornsea Project Two offshore windfarm off the English coast. The 84 m vessel will be a sister to Wind of Change, the first SOV ordered by LDA in 2017, and like that ship will be designed in close cooperation with Salt Ship Design, will be built by Turkey’s Cemre Shipyard and will be on contract with Ørsted A/S

The vessel will be equipped with a highly innovative hybrid propulsion system and features an extensive range of ABB technology, with the award-winning power distribution system Onboard DC Grid at its core.

ABB’s Onboard DC Grid enables simple, flexible and functional integration of energy sources, such as batteries and fuel cells, and empowers the efficiencies associated with variable speed generator operation.

In addition to Onboard DC Grid, the ABB scope of supply includes tunnel thrusters, generators, transformers, batteries, ABB Ability Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS and ABB’s Remote Diagnostics Services.

ABB will also provide its Power and Energy Management System (PEMS), which allows battery power to act as backup for running generators, again cutting the need to run spare capacity, and reducing maintenance and fuel consumption in the long-term.

“LDA is positioning itself at the forefront of the wind farm service sector in vessel performance and efficiency,” says Hervé Lapierre, Head of Newbuilding Department at LDA. “Wind farm service requirements are still evolving, meaning that SOVs built for this market, in addition to being cost-effective, need to also be innovative and flexible.”

The Onboard DC Grid solution enables variable speed technology to dynamically optimize system energy use in line with the load situation, which results in a 20% cut in fuel consumption. Power from the dual batteries on board will be introduced to maximize efficiency, and the energy stored can come from a variety of sources, including renewables. DC distribution also provides a unique platform for digital solutions, so that data from equipment sensors can be transmitted between systems instantaneously, and bridge or shore-based systems can monitor and optimize vessel performance.

“The second order from LDA feels like a validation of the performance, cost efficiency and safety that ABB delivers through its ‘Electric. Digital Connected’ approach,” says Juha Koskela, Managing Director, ABB Marine & Ports. “We are proud to deliver the technology that enables the use of stored energy for a vessel supporting the renewables industry.”