Vard has announced that it has secured a new contract for the design and construction of a Service Operation Vessels (SOV) for North Star Group in the UK. The vessel of Vard 4 12 design will be the fourth SOV to be delivered from Vard to North Star for operation on the Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the North Sea.The Vard 4 12 design is developed by Vard Design in Ålesund. The SOV for North Star has been developed to handle corrective maintenance services on the Dogger Bank C wind arrays. The vessel will have a height-adjustable, motion-compensated gangway with elevator system, a height-adjustable boat transfer system, as well as a 3D-compensated crane for cargo transfer. The new SOV will be 78 metres in length with a beam of 19 metres and have an accommodation for 60 persons in single cabins. The hybrid vessel will be equipped with a diesel-electric propulsion system. The SOV is scheduled for delivery from Vard’s shipyard Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam in 2024. Dogger Bank is currently under construction by joint-venture partners SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni and when completed will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
