ZPMC (Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited) has commenced construction of the first of two service operation vessels (SOVs) for French shipping group Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LD Armateurs). These vessels will support Vattenfall’s offshore wind farms in Germany.
LD Armateurs contracted Salt Ship Design for the vessel design and signed a shipbuilding contract with ZPMC in early 2025. This followed contracts with Vattenfall for one SOV each at the DanTysk and Sandbank offshore wind farms, and another for the Nordlicht projects, with a third SOV as an option for future wind farms.
Under these contracts, LD Armateurs will build, own, and operate the SOVs for Vattenfall’s offshore wind farms. The first vessel, currently under construction, will service DanTysk and Sandbank for maintenance and repair.
The SOVs will measure 90 meters in length and 19.60 meters in width, featuring a hybrid power system with diesel-electric engines and lithium batteries. Additionally, they will possess advanced DP maneuvering capabilities and flexible offshore operations. The vessels will include a walk-to-work (W2W) gangway near the centerline, a 3D crane for cargo, and accommodation for 96 people, as stated by LD Armateurs.
The 288 MW DanTysk offshore wind farm, located around 70 kilometers west of Sylt, comprises 80 Siemens Gamesa 3.6 MW turbines operational since 2014. The Sandbank offshore wind farm, operational since 2017, also has a 288 MW capacity with 72 Siemens Gamesa 4 MW turbines, located 90 kilometers west of Sylt.
The Nordlicht offshore wind project, located in the German North Sea 85 kilometers north of Borkum, is set to begin construction this year, starting with Nordlicht 1. This phase will have a capacity of about 980 MW, with Nordlicht 2 adding around 630 MW. The project will incorporate 112 Vestas V236-15.0 MW wind turbines.
Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz