UK Consortium Launches SOV Design Concept

The Diamond Consortium of James Fisher and Sons plc and the UK shipowner, Graig Shipping PLC, has unveiled what is described as ”a pioneering service operation vessel (SOV) design concept.”

The ULSTEIN TWIN X-STERN, named ULSTEIN SX221 Diamond SOV, is expected to support the UK’s target of 50 GW of offshore wind energy generation by 2030, as part of its Net Zero Strategy.

The concept is said to be the result of extensive collaboration by the Diamond Consortium, with support from DNV and design partner, Ulstein Design Solutions.

The result is expected to provide a future-proof design to address the increased demand for SOVs, reduce the levelised cost of energy, and deliver high levels of operability, personnel comfort, and sustainability.

”The philosophy behind the Diamond SOV has been successfully applied to other vessel segments for many years: developing a specification that meets a market need while allowing for a high degree of customisation and configuration for individual owners and developers,” Jim Hey, group business development director at James Fisher, said.

”We chose to go with ULSTEIN due to their history of successful innovative designs and believe the TWIN X-STERN to be the best choice for service operations of offshore wind farms. Building SOVs in series volumes achieves significant economies of scale and delivers a design that can be built in multiple yards simultaneously. Considering the anticipated market demand for SOVs in the UK and beyond by the end of the decade, this exciting new concept places the UK at the centre of enabling global offshore wind ambitions.”

Placing sustainability at the fore, the Diamond SOV concept will address the supply chain chasm threatening to stymie offshore wind progress with a scalable, modular solution that can be achieved through high-volume series construction to meet developer time and budgetary constraints, the consortium said.

With a significantly reduced energy consumption and increased manoeuvrability, the vessel will also help developers lower scope 3 emissions in the construction of offshore wind farms.

”We have successfully partnered over many years with DNV on the Graig-led Diamond business model and we are now applying this proven, scalable strategy to the global offshore wind markets with a particular focus on UK waters, helping to meet the challenging environmental goals in front of us,” Hugh Williams, CEO, Graig Shipping PLC, said.

The Diamond Consortium is currently in discussion with major shipyard groups to reach specifications in conjunction with valued customers, with the first vessel capable of being completed by the end of 2024.

”With larger turbines being installed further out at sea, vessels and crews will be travelling greater distances and working for longer periods of time in harsher environments,” Arnstein Eknes, segment director, Special Ships, DNV, said.

”The opportunities offered by digitalisation and introduction of sustainable solutions, whilst maintaining high dependability during operations are vital for the next generation of SOVs. This is why we are thrilled to be spearheading development of smart notations and services facilitating the novel solutions provided by this next-generation ULSTEIN SX221 Diamond SOV.”

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