German based Bernhard Schulte Offshore has ordered the design and construction of two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) of the ULSTEIN SX222 design at Ulstein Verft for delivery in 2025, with the option of four additional vessels.
The ordered CSOVs are of the SX222 design which is adapted to the shipowner’s needs, including single cabins for 110 persons. In total, the vessels will be able to accommodate 132 people. The ships will have hybrid battery propulsion and be prepared for methanol fuel to enable carbon-neutral operations.
The ships are flexible and attractive for work within areas such as O&M (Operation and Maintenance) or construction support, especially in challenging weather and sea conditions.
The vessels have a length of 89.6 m and a beam of 19.2 m, and have a large, centrally positioned walk-to-work motion-compensated gangway and elevator tower for personnel and cargo transfers.
Furthermore, a 3D compensated crane capable of 5-ton-offshore-cargo lifts is installed. The optimised on-board logistics includes large storage capacities and stepless approach to the offshore installations.
Matthias Müller, Managing Director at Bernhard Schulte Offshore, said that “The reliability and characteristics in design and construction work that we have experienced in previous newbuilding and conversion projects have led us to Ulstein again.
Their commitment to innovation and the outstanding quality of the Ulstein shipyard were key factors in our decision. The excellent reputation of our existing fleet of Ulstein SOVs shows that the market appreciates these criteria.”
Cathrine Kristiseter Marti., CEO Ulstein Group, said that “The energy transition is crucial to achieving the climate goals, and the offshore wind industry plays a significant role in this transition. We believe these new CSOVs will serve Bernhard Schulte Offshore well in the coming years, as do the previous three we have designed and delivered to them. We appreciate working with Bernhard Schulte Offshore again and the trust they place in us.”
The two newbuildings will complement Bernhard Schulte Offshore’s current fleet of three state-of-the-art offshore service vessels. The existing fleet and the upcoming newbuildings are highly flexible in operation and designed to support the offshore wind energy market as well as the oil and gas segment, as it was said.
