Northern Offshore Services (N-O-S) has ordered a total of twelve E-class crew transfer vessels (CTVs), with four already on the way and eight more now on order.
N-O-S said via social media that this was one of the largest CTV orders in history, with the agreement also including several options for additional orders.
“This is not just a fleet expansion, this is a statement” , said David Kristensson , Group CEO of Northern Offshore Services. “We believe in this market, we believe in our design, and above all, we believe in our ability to lead innovation, sustainably, competitively and at scale.”
The first of the new E-class CTVs, M/V Explorer , will arrive in Europe over the coming days, according to the company, which did not name the shipyard, but it did say the vessels “will be built with N-O-S’s long-term shipyard partner” . According to the vessel specification sheet, the vessels will be built by the Singapore-based Peguin shipyard, which built N-O-S’s R-Class CTVs .
Northern Offshore Services announced the E-class crew transfer vessel series featuring hybrid technology back in 2019.
The new 36-metre E-class vessels are designed to meet the evolving needs of the offshore wind industry, according to the vessels’ owner, including large cargo capacity, a future-proof platform supporting the transition to electric and alternative fuels, and improved hull design and advanced automation system to optimise energy efficiency.
According to N-O-S’s website, the E-class builds upon the proven design of the D-class series with the new hybrid technology that N-O-S has developed. The main engines and generators in E-class vessels are combined with batteries to ensure optimised propulsion. The batteries can be recharged from shore, and the vessels are also prepared for charging the batteries directly from wind turbines when on site.