Page 46: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Jan/Feb 2023)

45 3rd Cover

OFFSHORE WIND VESSEL REPAIR & REFIT

The US Administration’s strategy to fast-track offshore wind development is exciting for overseas shipbuilders and service providers in the field.

Joint ventures meeting Jones Act requirements will support accelerating development. Some question, however, whether ambitious 2030 targets can actually be achieved.

By Paul Bartlett lstein group is a front runner. The Norwe- tives cannot reveal more details. Wessels says that the se- gian-based company has already provided lection of an Ulstein design by GLDD provides a head the design for a rock installation vessel now start. The US company required a Jones Act compliant, under construction for a joint venture be- dynamically positioned vessel that could be constructed in tween Houston-based Great Lakes Dredge a US shipyard to undertake scour protection on offshore

U & Dock (GLDD) and Netherlands based Van Oord. Now wind foundations.

being built at Philly Shipyard and due for delivery in ?rst There are speci?c requirements for vessels to be deployed half of 2024, the ship will be the ?rst Jones Act-compliant in the US. Apart from the Jones Act itself, ships designed offshore wind support vessel to be built in the US. It will for US deployments must also meet US Coast Guard re- be deployed on the Empire I and II wind farms off the quirements. And, depending on customer and shipyard, coast of New York. designing in imperial units may be a signi?cant plus point,

Lars Ståle Skoge is Commercial Director at Ulstein De- Wessels reveals.

sign & Solutions AS. “There is a great potential for Eu- “Typically, we see that build time in the US is longer ropean companies like Ulstein to contribute to develop than in Europe, for example, and we constantly evalu- the offshore wind market in the US, and get a quick start ate the possibilities and the best project approach,” he based on the learnings from the European offshore wind explains. “Our Dutch design of?ce typically works on industry,” he told Offshore Engineer. one-off designs that are fully tailored to client speci?c re-

His Rotterdam-based colleague, Nick Wessels, outlines quirements. We prefer to work with the shipowner for the the company’s strategy of diversi?cation. Ulstein is offer- concept and basic design as they know what they want to ing a wide range of offshore wind designs for different do with the vessel in terms of operation.

tasks, he reveals, but it is also offering scope to upgrade “It allows the shipowner to tender with several ship- existing vessels. yards,” he continues. “After that, we are happy to support “We have several designs available that are suitable for either the selected shipyard in the actual building of the

US operations,” he explains. “These include feeder jack- vessel if so desired or to keep supporting the shipowner’s up installation vessels, feeder transport units to ship foun- newbuilding team.” dations and turbine components to jack-up vessels, and The opportunity to upgrade or convert existing offshore heavy-lift foundation installation ships.” The designs can vessels could provide a fast track. Ulstein has completed a all be customized to meet speci?c clients’ requirements. number of conversion projects including the two PX121 platform supply vessels, Esvagt Leah and Esvagt Heidi.

Both ships, originally built at Ulstein Verft, returned there

Head start

It is no secret that Ulstein is in discussion with various in 2021 to be upgraded with more environmentally friend- offshore wind companies in the US but company execu- ly power systems and converted into emergency response 46 OFFSHORE ENGINEER OEDIGITAL.COM