MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has received equipment orders for a total of four offshore wind service vessels which will expand the Edda Wind fleet, the offshore wind segment of the Østensjø Group. The order was booked into Cargotec’s first quarter of 2020 order intake and the first vessel will enter into service in Q1 2022.
Two of the equipment packages were awarded by the shipbuilder, Astilleros Gondán in Asturias, Spain for Edda Wind’s zero emission prepared Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOV), the first of which will enter into a firm charter period of 11 years starting Q1 2022.
Each of these vessels will be equipped with a Horizon all-electric walk-to-work gangway, including the largest integrated passenger lift ever fitted to a wind service vessel, which is interconnected to a Colibri 5 tonne 3D motion compensated crane. This further increases logistics support by allowing a single operator to seamlessly change between crane and gangway operation from a centralised control station on the vessel’s bridge.
“Østensjø Rederi is committed to continuously advancing the development of environmentally sustainable technologies, and MacGregor’s energy efficient equipment will contribute to improving the overall efficiency of Edda Wind’s newbuildings” says Egil Arne Skare, Chief Project Officer in Østensjø Rederi.
The other two equipment packages were awarded by Astilleros Balenciaga who are building Edda Wind’s second generation Service Operation Vessels (SOV), which are also prepared for zero-emission hydrogen fuel. The first of the two vessels will enter into service on a 15 year charter agreement in Q2 2022, and will also be equipped with a Horizon all-electric walk-to-work gangway system and 3 tonne Colibri 3D motion compensated crane.
Although smaller than their CSOV sister vessels, the SOV’s will boast access heights of up to 34m above the sea surface due to the novel design of the Horizon walk-to-work system, specifically tailored to Edda Wind’s requirements. These vessels will also benefit from the additional efficiency provided by the centralised control station being located near the Dynamic Positioning Operator’s(DPO) position on the bridge.
“Whenever we asked MacGregor to solve operational challenges put forward by our clients or ourselves, they responded quickly with well-thought-out solutions and provided excellent technical support.” says Egil Arne Skare of Østensjø Rederi. “Providing low emission service vessels is not just about selecting the most energy efficient equipment, it’s the combination of the equipment and our collective experience that will give these ships an environmentally sound operational profile.”
The orders are the result of a long collaboration with Edda Wind, their ship designer, and other key suppliers to realise the potential of fully electrified equipment and integrated vessel systems. The Horizon walk-to-work gangway and Colibri 3D cranes are products brought into the MacGregor portfolio through the acquisition of TTS last year.
“MacGregor is delighted to have been selected to supply critical equipment to the Edda Wind newbuildings,” says Leif Byström, Head of the Offshore Solutions Division. “We now have a total of six walk-to-work systems and five 3D compensated cranes under various stages of completion, validating our commitment to renewable energy and to providing enhanced solutions and services to our customers through the combination of MacGregor and TTS capabilities.”