Cemre Shipyard Launches Third MHI Vestas SOV

Cemre Shipyard has launched the third of the three service operation vessels (SOVs) ordered by Esvagt and under long-term charters with MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.

The Turkish shipbuilder launched the hull of the first SOV in April and the second one in September.

The 70-5 metre SOVs were ordered at Norway’s Havyard Group. The fitting out, testing, and completion of the vessels will be carried out at Havyard Ship Technology’s Leirvik shipyard in Sogn.

The SOVs were initially scheduled to be delivered between the third quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021.

Esvagt has since accepted a delay in the deliveries of the vessels due to Havyard going through ”financial whirlwinds”. The new delivery dates have since not been disclosed.

Havyard recently announced downsizing and restructuring measures at the Leirvik shipyard which will lead to the discontinuation of the shipbuilding activities there.

The facility will be restructured into a repair and service yard and the staff will be reduced by about 100 in the coming year.

According to CEO of Havyard Group Gunnar Larsen, the said measures will not affect the delivery timeline of Havyard’s six current newbuild projects scheduled for delivery in 2020 and 2021, including the three Esvagt SOVs.

”The downsizing will take place in correlation with the completion of the newbuilds and the shift in activities at the yard as it receives new service assignments,” Havyard said in a statement.

The Norwegian company has not completely ruled out the newbuild activities in the future.

Once delivered, the SOVs will start their 15-year charters with MHI Vestas and be deployed on the Borssele III and IV offshore wind farm in the Netherlands, the Triton Knoll wind farm offshore England, and the Moray East wind farm off Scotland.

The vessels will be equipped with a compensated walk-to-work gangway and daughter craft, as well as multiple other features, and will have the capacity to accommodate up to 60 persons.