Germany’s Bernhard Schulte Offshore is expanding its offshore wind farm fleet with a new order at Ulstein Verft in Norway.
The Schulte Group company said it is returning to the yard for hybrid methanol-ready commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) to add to its fleet of three built there previously.
The deal includes options for four more of the Ulstein SX222 designs.
The price has not been revealed. The firm pair will be delivered in 2025.
The vessels feature two sterns and main propellers located both fore and aft, making them an ideal choice for dynamic positioning (DP) operations, the company explained.
“The reliability and characteristics in design and construction work that we have experienced in previous newbuilding and conversion projects have led us to Ulstein again,” said Matthias Muller, managing director of Bernhard Schulte Offshore.
“Their commitment to innovation and the outstanding quality of the Ulstein shipyard were key factors in our decision. The excellent reputation of our existing fleet of Ulstein SOVs shows that the market appreciates these criteria,” he added.
The 90-metre ships will come with single cabins for 110 workers out of a total capacity of 132 people.
They will have hybrid battery propulsion and be prepared for methanol fuel to enable carbon-neutral operations.
“The energy transition is crucial to achieving the climate goals, and the offshore wind industry plays a significant role in this transition,” said Ulstein Group chief executive Cathrine Kristiseter Marti.
“We believe these new CSOVs will serve Bernhard Schulte Offshore well in the coming years, as do the previous three we have designed and delivered to them. We appreciate working with Bernhard Schulte Offshore again and the trust they place in us,” she added.
Ulstein delivered three SOVs to Bernhard Schulte Offshore in 2016, 2017 and 2020.
