U.S.-based Crowley and Danish offshore maritime leader Esvagt will jointly build and operate a service operations vessel under a long-term charter with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.
Crowley will manage and crew the service operations vessel to support Siemens Gamesa’s service operations on the Dominion Energy Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, while Esvagt will support Crowley with design, construction, crew training and operation services as part of the two companies’ joint venture, Crest Wind established in 2021.
The 289-foot vessel will have modern accommodations for 80 crew and technicians, and be U.S. built when it enters service in 2026.
“This vessel marks another significant milestone in our overarching, combined capabilities to help develop, construct and serve the U.S. offshore wind market and America’s clean, renewable energy needs,” said Bob Karl, senior vice president and general manager, Crowley Wind Services.
From his side the Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer, Soren Karas, of Esvagt said that this “first contract in the U.S. is a landmark event for ESVAGT in our quest to help drive the green transition as a global leader of SOV services”.
Esvagt has a fleet of more than 40 vessels and approximately 1200 employees offshore and onshore. Esvagt pioneered the SOV concept with its clients in 2010 and is today a large operator of SOVs, while Crowley is a privately held owned and operated maritime, energy and logistics solutions company, serving commercial and government sectors with more than $3.2 billion in annual revenues, over 170 vessels mostly in the Jones Act fleet.
It is worth mentioning that Dominion Energy plans to construct 176 14.7 MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbines, and three offshore substations, generating enough clean, renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes. It would avoid 5 million tons per year of carbon emissions compared with fossil fuel usage for power.
