VESSEL REVIEW | Esvagt Schelde – First of three new Danish-owned high-capacity windfarm service vessels

Norwegian shipyard Havyard Leirvik (formerly New Havyard Ship Technology) recently handed over the first unit in a new series of three windfarm service operation vessels (SOVs) ordered by Danish offshore operator Esvagt.

Named after the 350-kilometre Scheldt River that winds through Western Europe towards the North Sea, the Bureau Veritas-classed Esvagt Schelde has an LOA of 70.5 metres, a beam of 16.6 metres, a draught of 5.6 metres, and a summer deadweight of 1,960 tonnes.

A quartet of Scania D16 main diesel engines that each produce 640 kW drive an equal number of Steerprop azimuth thrusters to deliver a speed of approximately 12 knots. Providing auxiliary power for the SOV are two Cummins QSK38 diesels. Rounding out the propulsion setup are a set of electric-powered, retractable tunnel side thrusters from Brunvoll.

Although the first vessel in a new series, Esvagt Schelde is the fourth newbuild to be supplied by Havyard to the same customer. Havyard Project Manager Jan-André Førde Systad has stated that the SOV therefore possesses many of the systems that are already familiar to Esvagt's crews, hence minimising the time required to train those who will be tasked with operating the vessel under the extreme offshore conditions typical in the North Sea.

The systems include navigation and communications electronics from Furuno and Thrane and Thrane, a Kongsberg Maritime DP system, and firefighting equipment from Tyco. Power is supplied by Marelli generator sets consisting of four 769kVa units and two 1,238kVa units. A Scania D138 emergency generator has been installed as well.

Esvagt Schelde has onboard space for 60 persons including crew and technicians, making the SOV suitable for the  accommodation role. There are also warehouse facilities for cargo, a lift that provides direct access to and from all decks and gangway levels, and office areas and a conference room for use by clients. Crew welfare facilities include a game room, a theatre, a gymnasium, dayrooms, and a large mess area. All interior spaces feature ventilation systems supplied by Teknotherm.

The SOV is also equipped with two high-speed daughter craft that were developed in-house by Esvagt and are to be used for transferring personnel and cargo to and from the wind farms. Other offshore transfer methods available on the SOV include a walk-to-work gangway supplied by SMST and a three-tonne heave-compensated offshore crane from Peak Marine.

Besides the daughter craft, lifeboats from Viking Life-Saving Equipment are also available on board. The deck machinery also includes boat davits from Vestdavit and winches and capstans from Palfinger Marine.

The vessel's hull was completed in Turkey and later transported to Havyard Leirvik's facilities in Sogn in Western Norway for final outfitting. Norwegian Electric Systems supplied the vessel's energy design, control systems, and complete propulsion system.

Esvagt Schelde was delivered by Havyard Leirvik in December 2020. The following month, it began operating under a long-term service charter contract with MHI Vestas Offshore Wind in the North Sea. Under the charter, the vessel will provide operations and maintenance support at the Borssele III and IV wind farms 22 kilometres off the Dutch province of Zeeland, at the Northwester 2 wind farm 50 kilometres off Ostend in Belgium, and at the Triton Knoll and Moray East wind farms in the UK.

For more news, opinion and vessel reviews as part of this month's Offshore Week, click here.