North Star awards contract for two methanol-ready offshore vessels

Fincantieri Group’s Norwegian subsidiary Vard has secured a contract for the design and construction of two methanol-ready service operation vessels (SOVs).

IMAGE: Vard’s methanol-ready SOV concept. Vard

An SOV is a specialized ship used to support offshore wind farms, providing accommodation, transport, and maintenance services for crew and equipment.

Methanol-ready means the vessels will not be capable of running on methanol but will be designed for future retrofitting to support methanol propulsion. They will initially operate using a hybrid battery propulsion system.

UK-based infrastructure support vessel operator North Star has awarded the contract.

The first vessel will be built at Vard Shipyards in Braila, Romania, with final outfitting and delivery from one of VARD’s shipyards in Norway, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027. The second vessel will be constructed and delivered by Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam, with delivery planned for the fourth quarter of 2028. 

By Tuhin Roy

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