The move – which stems from a contract with Siemens Gamesa – adds an eighth hybrid offshore wind ship to the organisation’s renewables fleet since it expanded into the market two-and-a-half years ago.
North Star chief operating officer Robert Catchpole, who is based at the firm’s Lowestoft facility, said: “This marks our first SOV contract in the southern North Sea, which will be serviced by our talented operational team stationed strategically in the region to provide dedicated support throughout this new long-term partnership. It also presents a wealth of prospects for both our seasoned seafarers and aspiring crew members, while opening up additional opportunities for our local supply chain.
“This achievement not only underscores our commitment to driving operational excellence, but also solidifies our position as a key player in project management, delivering multiple vessels simultaneously.”
The East Anglia Three wind farm will have a total capacity of 1,400MW, generating green electricity to power the equivalent of more than 1.3 million homes.
Pedro Fernandez, ScottishPower Renewables’ East Anglia Three project director said: “This is a great example of the opportunities windfarms like ours can create for local supply chains and underlines the East of England’s position as a global centre of excellence for the offshore wind industry. We look forward to seeing the new vessel take shape over the next couple of years and getting to work on the windfarm once commissioned.”
Andrew Viles, Siemens Gamesa’s head of operations for Northern Europe, said: “We are pleased that North Star will be building a new SOV to support the East Anglia Three offshore windfarm project. This agreement continues to highlight our focus and commitment to providing high-performing and long-term offshore service logistics solutions to our operations and customers.”
Meanwhile, the construction project for the SOV of VARD 4 19 design has been awarded by North Star to Cochin Shipyard. A forerunner in India’s shipbuilding and repair industry, the firm is also currently building a tailored SOV to VARD 4 07 design for the business, which will be delivered to EnBW on a decade-long minimum charter to service the He Dreiht wind farm off the coast of Germany.
North Star’s chief technology officer James Bradford added: “We have chosen Cochin Shipyard Ltd to undertake this second SOV newbuild project due to their exceptional track record of delivering high-quality vessels on time and within budget. Their expertise and proven capabilities align perfectly with our vision for advancing sustainable maritime solutions, ensuring that we continue to meet the evolving needs of our clients and contribute positively to a greener future.”
The vessel will accommodate up to 60 of its client’s wind technicians as they support maintenance operations across all 95 wind turbines at the East Anglia Hub development. To ensure safe crew transfers, it has a height adjustable motion compensated gangway and also features North Star’s Decision Support system to support zero carbon objectives.
The new SOV is due to be delivered to Siemens Gamesa to commence operations for the East Anglia Three development in late 2026. The contract will be front run by one of North Star’s two commissioning SOVs, the CSOV Kestrel from April the same year.
The company, which in addition to Lowestoft, has bases in Aberdeen, Newcastle and Hamburg, plans to recruit a further 34 crew for the new SOV.