Page 29: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2024)

NORTHERN OFFSHORE SERVICES on electric and hybrid solutions. That size to the size of turbines is a big chal-

Comfort & Safety, too comes at a cost. Some estimates might As industry moves towards having lenge, especially as wind moves further put the cost of the fully integrated Volvo offshore. Newer, bigger turbines demand- permanent offshore crews on board, and

Penta IPS propulsion system with all the ing bigger, more robust boats that can moving away from dayshift work for larg- bells and whistles at a 20% premium to perform in harsher conditions, for longer periods of time. Summer work may not another solution. According to N-O-S, er ? elds, bigger and more capable vessels will be required. Today, there are 7,000 that’s just smart business. be a luxury any longer. It is no accident that N-O-S ? nds itself at the leading edge

Johan Inden, President of Volvo turbines on the water, but matching vessel

Penta Marine, explains why. “It is our partners who, in part, drive our inno- vation. We are creating something the customer doesn’t need today, but will likely want tomorrow.”

Looking ahead, a hybrid battery equipped IPS allows longer tours at sea.

The diesel engines provide safety and speed enroute, but once on station at a windfarm, the vessel can operate on electric only. These IPS equipped ves- sels can operate in electric, hybrid or die- sel modes. Recharging the batteries can take place underway. But if not, then it can be done using Volvo Penta’s modu- lar containerized portable battery charg- ing units at the dock of your choice. “Green” is a moving target. What was green previously may not qualify in the future. That creates serious risk for ? nanciers, operators, and wind farm operators alike. N-O-S has addressed, if not embraced some of that risk. This longer-term vision will deliver what Da- vid Kristensson characterizes as “future proof” vessels – hulls that can be up- graded in terms of propulsion and envi- ronmental solutions – is just the ticket.

N-O-S looks forward to the day that greener vessels will provide better day rates. In the meantime, that involves risk – ? nancial risk. Kristensson explains, “I would say that we have dif? culties to cover our costs where we’ve been build- ing greener vessels today. The econom- ics are not there yet. So, we are building our platforms so that you can convert it later when the commercial sense or the right project might demand it. Then, you don’t need to build a new vessel, you can upgrade the existing platform.

Of course, there are bene? ts to having a green platform today, as compared to conventional vessels.” www.marinelink.com 29

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