First SOV for Siemens’ Offshore Wind Farms Delivered (Gallery)

Ulstein Verft today delivered a service operation vessel (SOV) ordered by Bernhard Schulte in 2015 to operate on Siemens’ offshore wind projects.

The SOV is the first of two being constructed for Bernhard Schulte Offshore and chartered out to Siemens Wind Power Service. It will be deployed at the Gemini offshore wind farm off the Netherlands, while the second one will serve Sandbank and Dan Tysk offshore wind farms.

Both vessels are based on the SX175 design from Ulstein, and are equipped with the hull features X-BOW and X-STERN in order to improve the sea characteristics when the vessels are positioned alongside the wind turbines during transferral of service technicians from the vessel through a heave compensated gangway.

During sea trial, the bridge crew noted the vessel’s smooth motions and the very low levels of noise and vibrations, all these being important factors in a vessel in which one of the main tasks is to transport service technicians to the Dutch offshore wind farm, 85 kilometres north of the Dutch province of Groningen and a five-hour trip from shore, Ulstein said.