Vard has cut the first steel for Norwind Offshore’s energy construction vessel (ECV), the first vessel of this category, according to the two companies.
A steel-cutting ceremony was held on 6 October at Vard Vung Tau shipyard in Vietnam, kicking off the construction of the vessel, which Norwind Offshore ordered last year.
Vard says the ECV is designed to play a pivotal role in the construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms.
According to Vard and Norwind Offshore, this is a whole new vessel category, developed jointly by the two companies. The vessel is of VARD 3 11 design, which the company says is tailor-made for the offshore wind and subsea market, including inspection, maintenance and repair of pipes, and construction and installation of infrastructure above and below sea level.
This is the first construction vessel Vard will build with a permanently installed motion-compensated gangway for walk-to-work operations. A walk-to-work electrically controlled motion compensated (ECMC) gangway with integrated 3D compensated crane functionality will be installed. To expand capacities, especially towards the growing renewables market, a movement-compensated offshore crane of 150 tonnes is also being installed, according to the vessel designer.
The first ECV will be built, outfitted, commissioned and delivered from Vard Vung Tau shipyard, with the delivery scheduled for the second quarter of 2027.