TenneT Looking to Charter Platform Supply Vessel for Five Years and EUR 100 Million

August 27, 2024, by Adrijana Buljan

TenneT has invited tenders for the provision of a platform supply vessel (PSV) and crew to conduct supply tours to TenneT’s offshore platforms in the German North Sea.

The BorWin Beta platform in German North Sea — Illustration; BorWin Beta platform in the German North Sea; Source: TenneT

According to a contract notice issued on 21 August, the transmission system operator (TSO) will award a multiple-year charter contract for an initial duration of five years, with three options for one-year extensions. The contract is valued at EUR 100 million.

The window for submitting applications for the call for competition closes at 12:00 CET on 13 September.

The five-year contract is scheduled to go into effect on 15 April 2025 and run until 28 February 2030.

The supply tours using a PSV will provide the offshore platforms with maintenance material, food/provisions, and consumables as well as with disposal services. The main load of the vessel will be certified offshore containers, break bulk cargo and various liquids.

In the tender requirements, the minimum specifications of the vessel that TenneT is looking for include class 2 dynamic positioning (DP2), Automatic Identification System (AIS) and radar, a maximum draught of 8 metres and a minimum deck space of 1,000 square metres (free from obstructions, vertically reachable and useable for cargo handling and stowage). The PSV also should not be older than 17 years, it must be flagged with a Paris MoU White-listed flag, and be an IACS Member.

TenneT also specifies the PSV should have a minimum of twelve reefer connections (440 volts) for constant cooling of reefer containers, a tank of a minimum of 300 cubic metres for drinking water, divided into at least two tanks with a minimum capacity of 60 cubic metres, with a pump rate of 0-200 cbm/h. The TSO also lists two tanks with a minimum of 300 cubic metres of capacity each for wastewater and bilge water, as well as a marine gas oil (MGO) tank with a minimum capacity of 400 cubic metres divided into two tanks of a minimum of 200 cubic metres each.

In the contract notice, TenneT states the area of supply is the German North Sea/German Bight where its offshore assets are located.

The TSO currently has twelve offshore grid connection systems in operation in the German North Sea, with a total capacity of 7.1 GW.

These are alpha ventus (AC, in operation since 2009), BorWin1 (DC, in operation since 2010), BorWin2 (DC, 2015), BorWin3 (DC, 2019), DolWin1 (DC, 2015), DolWin2 (DC, 2016), DolWin3 (DC, 2018), HelWin1 (DC, 2015), HelWin2 (DC, 2015), Nordergründe (AC, 2015), Riffgat (AC, 2014), and SylWin1 (DC, 2015).