Compagnie Maritime Belge-owned Windcat has placed an additional order for two commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) with Damen Shipyards.
This increases the Belgian owner’s Windcat CSOV fleet to five, following an initial order placed around a year ago for the series of hydrogen-powered vessels.
The first three vessels are under construction at Ha Long Shipyard in Vietnam and will be delivered in 2025.
The delivery of the two additional vessels is expected in the second and third quarters of 2026.
The company retains an option for a sixth vessel.
Known as the “Elevation Series”, the design has been developed by Dutch shipbuilder Damen and clean shipping company CMB.Tech, which is controlled by the Saverys family.
The vessels are 87 metres long and 20 metres wide and can accommodate up to 120 people. A CSOV remains at an offshore wind farm for up to 30 days, providing maintenance materials and housing technicians in hotel-style accommodation.
CMB and Damen believe there is a promising trajectory for the offshore wind industry.
Windcat managing director Willem van der Wel said: “The decision to expand the CSOV fleet aligns with Windcat’s commitment to meeting the increasing demand for these vessels worldwide and will give us further capacity and flexibility to support clients in the offshore industry.”
CMB bought Windcat in 2020 and will operate the CSOVs as part of its Windcat Offshore unit.
A sister division, Windcat Workboats, operates a fleet of more than 52 offshore crew transfer vessels (CTVs).
That division placed orders last year for six hydrogen-powered Hydrocat 48 CTVs, five of which are still under construction.
