North Star and its shipbuilding partner, Cochin Shipyard Ltd. has cut first steel on EnBW’s new hybrid-electric service operations vessel (SOV). It is on schedule to commence a decade-long minimum charter to service the He Dreiht wind farm off the coast of Germany from the end of 2026.
The milestone was celebrated yesterday (25 February 2025) at Cochin Shipyard Ltd. in India, where the planning, engineering design and construction work are being carried out. The significant step was marked with a ceremony, attended by North Star chief technology officer, James Bradford.
The newbuild will provide premier accommodation in field for up to 34 wind technicians as they maintain the development’s 64 wind turbines, located around 90 km northwest of the island of Borkum and 110 km west of Helgoland. The SOV will also act as a logistics hub and warehouse.
The ship is of VARD 407 design and has been tailored to meet EnBW’s specific requirements. To drive high performance and efficiencies, the high specification SOV includes Electric Voith Schneider propulsion (eVSP) and is designed to use methanol as a fuel in future. The ship is also fully equipped with a height adjustable motion compensated gangway and 3D compensated crane. In addition, it utilises the best available technology to support decarbonisation, including North Star’s Decision Support system, designed to optimise real-time systems and solutions onboard.
This project update follows last October’s announcement that North Star has also secured a second award with EnBW, for its first commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) to front run ahead of the SOV’s arrival.
Tailored for the commissioning phase, the CSOV (Grampian Kestrel) will offer essential accommodation and logistics to support the construction and commissioning works in 2025. Following this period, it will lead EnBW’s operations and maintenance activities until the newbuild SOV is delivered. This latest contract further establishes the company’s growing presence in Germany and the European offshore wind sector.
Construction of its renewables fleet is being project managed entirely in-house by North Star. In the last year, North Star has managed shipbuilding programmes at four separate shipyard locations around the globe, building its fleet designed to support the energy transition. Delivered on schedule and within budget, the firm’s successful construction projects demonstrate the team’s ability to locally manage the new-build process in the UK and overseas.
North Star European renewables lead, Bruno Bartel said: “The first steel cutting is always an exciting moment in the construction phase, and we were pleased to join the build team in India to mark the occasion”.
“We have worked closely with EnBW and our partners VARD to develop a robust and superior SOV with a new hullform to mitigate sea state and wave height challenges, providing fast, safe and efficient personnel transfers. With the comfort of wind technicians and crew on board a high priority, the SOV offers exceptional accommodation and facilities.
“This milestone also represents the beginning of our ambitious growth strategy in the region, as we expand our footprint in offshore wind markets around Europe.”
About North Star
North Star is the market leading UK provider of mission critical, offshore infrastructure support services to offshore wind and offshore oil and gas markets.
The firm has bases in Aberdeen, Lowestoft and Newcastle and Hamburg, and has a workforce of 1,400 seafarers and onshore personnel. It has been supporting the energy sector for the past four decades. Its offshore infrastructure support vessel fleet boasts 42 assets and provides continuous around the clock support services to more than 50 North Sea installations. The company’s first three of four Service Operations Vessels (SOVs), the Grampian Tyne, Grampian Derwent and Grampian Tees have been delivered to support the Dogger Bank Wind Farm partners, all are under charter for a 10-year minimum. The business has also invested in its first two Commissioning SOVs to support the growing European offshore wind market.
The 137-year-old business, which was originally established to support the fisheries industry, is also the country’s largest employer of offshore cadets. Since 1996, it has trained hundreds of future deck and engineering trainees, investing £1million annually on average to develop the next generation.
By combining safety, service and quality, the company delivers exceptional levels of support to its clients in one of world’s most challenging and demanding industries.
About EnBW
With over 28,000 employees, EnBW is one of the largest energy companies in Germany and Europe. It supplies around 5.5 million customers with electricity and gas. As part of its transformation from a traditional energy company to a sustainable infrastructure group, the expansion of renewable energy sources and of the distribution and transmission grids for electricity, gas and hydrogen are cornerstones of EnBW’s growth strategy and the focus of its investments. Until 2030, EnBW plans gross investments of €40 billion. By then, around 80 percent of EnBW’s generation portfolio is to consist of renewable energies, and the company aims to phase out coal by the end of 2028. These are key milestones on the road to the company’s climate neutrality in 2035.
About Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL)
Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) is a leading player in Shipbuilding and repair services in India serving the global markets in the offshore, merchant marine and domestic defence segment. With fifty two years of service, having spread with seven locations on the east and west coasts of India, the company focuses on products with modern green sustainable solutions with active interest in the offshore renewable segment.
About VARD
VARD is one of the major global designers and shipbuilders of specialized vessels. Headquartered in Norway and with approximately 8,200 employees, VARD operates shipbuilding facilities in Norway, Romania, Brazil and Vietnam. Through its specialized subsidiaries, VARD develops power and automation systems, deck handling equipment, and vessel accommodation solutions, and provides design and engineering services to the global maritime industry.
VARD’s long shipbuilding traditions, cutting-edge innovation and technology coupled with its global operations and track record in constructing complex and highly customized vessels have earned it recognition from industry players and enabled it to build strong relationships with its customers.
The majority shareholder of VARD is Fincantieri Oil & Gas S.p.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of FINCANTIERI S.p.A. Headquartered in Trieste, Italy. FINCANTIERI is one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups, and a global leader in cruise ship design and reference player in all high-tech shipbuilding industry sectors. With over 230 years of history and more than 7,000 ships built, the Group today has a production network of 18 shipyards operating in four continents and over 20,000 employees.
