Vard to design and build SOV for Taiwan offshore wind farms

Written by Nick Blenkey
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Vard 4 19 Overall length: 84.4 m Breadth: 19.5 m (Image: Vard Marine)

Ålesund, Norway, headquartered Fincantieri group member Vard has won a contract to design and construct an offshore wind Service Operation Vessel (SOV) for Taiwan’s Ta San Shang Marine Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (MOL) and Ta Tong Marine Co., Ltd.

Measuring 84.4 meters long and with a beam of 19.5 meters, the hybrid drive Service Operation Vessel (SOV) will be the first of its kind in Asia, developed to serve maintenance support operations for Ørsted in a 15 years charter in the Greater Changhua offshore wind farms in Taiwan.

The SOV is of Vard 4 19 design, developed by Vard Design in close cooperation with the customer and partners, and will be built at Vard’s shipyard Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam, scheduled for delivery in first half of 2022.

“Offshore renewables is in a phase of going from being a European focused industry to becoming a worldwide market,” says Erik Haakonsholm, General Manager of Offshore and Specialized vessels in Vard. “With this contract of the first SOV for operation in Taiwan and Asia, Vard is entering the market at a time where the initiatives around renewable energy is growing, with upcoming activity in both Asia and North America in addition to the still high activity level in Europe. Vard has developed several SOV concepts, and are excited to be a part of this great market going forward.”

The vessel is being built to a new design (Vard 4 19) specially developed for the complicated and harsh environment in the Taiwan Strait.

Through the development process, there has been a high focus on optimizing the hull design, safety, and comfort, and operability including a hybrid battery solution. The vessel will be the first Service Operation Vessel (SOV) to be built according to Taiwanese flag and class. The 84.4 meters vessel has a beam of 19.5 meters and will accommodate 87 persons in single cabins. Efficient logistics have been a key element in the development of the design, and the vessel has a height adjustable motion compensated gangway with elevator system, a height adjustable boat transfer system and a 3D-compensated crane for cargo transfer.

For optimal efficiency, the hybrid vessel will be equipped with diesel-electric propulsion in combination with a Vard Electro SeaQ Energy Storage System. Vard Electro will also deliver a fully integrated SeaQ Energy Storage Management System, SeaQ Power Management System, and SeaQ Integrated Automation System.

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