North Star has named its first commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV), the Grampian Kestrel, during a ceremony held at Vard’s Langsten shipyard in Tomrefjord, Norway, on Tuesday 6 May. This is the first of two CSOVs the company is scheduled to receive in 2025.
Built to the Vard 4 22 design, the vessel will enter service with EnBW, ahead of a long-term charter agreement signed in 2024. Under this agreement, North Star will supply a service operation vessel (SOV), of Vard 407 design, for the German energy utility’s He Dreiht offshore wind farm in the North Sea. That vessel is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2026.
The Grampian Kestrel is equipped to support all phases of offshore wind development, providing accommodation and logistical support for construction and commissioning. It will also lead EnBW’s operations and maintenance work at He Dreiht until the new SOV is delivered.
The naming ceremony was attended by representatives from North Star, Vard, EnBW and other project partners.
