A steel-cutting ceremony has been held for the first of two Construction Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs) that Ulstein Verft is building for the Norway-based shipowner Olympic.

The vessel, which carries yard number 318, is the first of two offshore wind newbuilds for which the shipowner signed a contract back in July.

The vessels, based on the SX222 design, have a length of 89.6 metres, a beam of 19.2 metres, and can accommodate 126 people in 91 cabins.

The CSOVs are among the first vessels to implement the TWIN X-STERN from Ulstein Design & Solutions, a ship with two sterns and main propeller units in each end which should increase flexibility and operability.

The vessels are powered by diesel-electric propulsion with variable speed in combination with large battery energy storage systems, and are prepared for methanol fuel with space available for additional battery capacity for full-electric repowering when the infrastructure for such is available.

Olympic’s CSOVs will feature Ampelmann’s gangways, while the energy storage systems and main switchboards for the vessels will be delivered by Corvus Energy and Acel, respectively.

Source: Offshorewind