4C is now TGS

We are excited to announce a significant milestone in 4C Offshore's journey. Our integration into the TGS family marks the beginning of a new era in offshore wind market intelligence.

Learn what this means for you!

ESVAGT Froude SOV on contract - ESVAGT Faraday to follow

By: Chris Anderson 24/02/2015 ESVAGT

General Vessels

The Danish shipping company is now introducing the first SOV-vessels especially constructed for servicing windfarms. Both vessels are contracted for two major projects.

The first vessel, “ESVAGT FROUDE”, goes on contract on Wednesday February 18th, while her sister ship, “ESVAGT FARADAY” is contracted to start at the beginning of April – in both cases to work for Siemens Wind Power.

The German energy company has provisionally chartered “ESVAGT FROUDE” for a five year contract to service the field and transport personnel during the constructing and operation of the offshore windfarm Baltic 2 in the Baltic, and the “ESVAGT FARADAY” for similar jobs for the Butendiek offshore wind project in the northern part of the German sector of the North Sea – provisionally for a 10 year contract. Options have been agreed for extending both contracts.

New vessel ordered
Delivery of the vessels from Havyard Ship Technology, Norway, (as reported by 4C Offshore on the 13th of this month) opens a new chapter in the history of ESVAGT, and it represents the largest combined investment for the shipping company to date. Its fleet now comprises 41 vessels thereby providing a total capacity strengthening the scope of ESVAGT: “To be the preferred provider of Emergency Response & Rescue and Offshore Wind Services”.

At the beginning of the 1980’s ESVAGT was aprovider of stand-by vessels to the oil and gas industry. Servicing windfarms represents a new diversification. Optimism is backed up by the fact that ESVAGT recently ordered – also at Havyard, – an almost identical vessel for servicing of the Dudgeon offshore windfarm being constructed off the UK east coast. Managing Director, Søren Nørgaard Thomsen, ESVAGT A/S, finds the entire development of new vessels interesting.

“We have succeeded in transferring our experience of 33 years in oil and gas to solve a need for transportation and servicing to the offshore wind industry. A concept has been developed which in our opinion will contribute to ensuring better operational economy for the windfarms.”

High level of comfort and “Walk to Work”
The SOVs represent current development for this type of vessel. Havyard had the hulls built at the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey, while installation of equipment, commissioning and tests were carried out at Leirvik Shipyard in Norway. The scope of the process has been to provide good design giving maximum priority to safety, maneuverability, operational reliability, energy consumption and comfort under all conditions – waves, wind and weather.

The vessel offers 60 single cabins for 40 technicians and 20 crew all being able to enjoy the latest technology in all areas. One of the most advanced features is the “Walk to Work”-system whereby the technicians can walk straight from the vessel to their wind turbines via a gyro-stabilised Ampelmann Gangway – a gangway system being swung to the platform from the vessel – even when waves are up to 2½ meters high.

Advanced DC-technology
A number of innovations ensure a high level of comfort by merging dynamic design of the hull with technical refinements based on a new, innovative DC-technology.

Four similar 1650 kW diesel generators make up the vessel’s power plant providing the propulsion system with sufficient power to obtain a speed of some 14.5 knots.

The power system is based on DC-technology developed by Siemens, Trondheim, Norway. It provides for a low consumption of fuel under all types of operation. The technology is based on the speed of the diesel generators being dependent on the operational load at any given time – contrary to a standard plant where the generators maintain a constant speed at all loads.

As the vessel’s main distribution panel is taking advantage of this DC-technology, the speed of the diesel generators are constantly adjusted to the load, thereby reducing fuel consumption, CO₂ emission and wear.

Additionally, the general reduction of noise and vibration all over the vessel has contributed to creating a comfortable environment for the crew – both during work and off-duty.

The major electricity consumers are served via frequency transformers, and the illumination is based on new, optimized, energy-saving LED-technology.

The DC-technology, furthermore, means that the power system has a high degree of redundancy too, as it is reacting much faster than traditional AC-systems in case of the occurrence of a serious failure. It is a stable, functional system focusing on reliable and safe operation.

The vessel is fitted with an active as well as a passive roll suppressing system reducing its movements under adverse weather conditions - thereby adding to the comfort of the windfarm technicians and the crew.

Maneuverability is optimized by an advanced DP-system especially developed for servicing the windfarms, and the vessel’s high ERN-score (station keeping capability) ensures optimal operation even under extreme conditions.

Safety and welfare
The conditions for the crew and the windfarm technicians leave nothing to be desired – fitness, cinema, messing, meeting rooms, etc.

The vessel is fitted out with a number of facilities for the installing, operation and maintenance of almost all types of installations offshore. It has 450 m² workshop facilities and storage for six 20 foot containers for spare parts. Furthermore, several offices are available for the windfarm technicians to enjoy the best possible working conditions onboard.

All in all, a real SOV novelty – and still the 83.7 meter long and 17.6 meter wide vessel looks like a “real” ESVAGT vessel giving first priority to safety. As an example it is constructed with an asymmetric bridge sticking out so much to port that the gangway system is in full view and can be monitored closely when in use.

New-developed Safe Transfer Boats

The “Walk to Work” system is supplemented by Safe Transfer Boats (STB®) developed at the ESVAGT headquarters in Esbjerg. Based on many years of experience in design and development of the well-known Fast Rescue Boats (ESVAGT FRB) the company has proceeded by developing a new type of boats focusing on a safe and flexible transport of windfarm technicians and their equipment.

The SOV vessel for that reason is carrying an open STB® model 7B crewed by two men and seats for three technicians plus their equipment as well as a larger, enclosed STB® model 12A crewed by two men and seating eight technicians plus one ton of cargo. And, naturally, each SOV has available a standard ESVAGT FRB (Fast Rescue Boat) on the deck.

Premium

4C Offshore Premium, our most popular subscription, gives you full access to use the 4C Offshore WebApp which includes exclusive offshore wind, transmission and vessel reports, news and downloads.

Request a 30 minute Demo

ESVAGT Froude SOV on contract - ESVAGT Faraday to follow

Back to News

Trending News!