Dutch offshore vessel owner Acta Marine has sealed a long-term deal with the world’s second-largest offshore wind player, RWE, to build and operate two “green” service operation vessels (SOVs).
The vessels will be built at Tersan Shipyards in Turkey, where Acta Marine signed up for the construction of two-plus-two units last June. The construction of RWE-bound ships is expected to start during the second quarter of 2023, with entry into service in early 2025 and 2026.
The duo will be among the first in the world to be built with the capability of being powered by methanol and batteries, with the potential to save up to 10,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.
The SOVs will be based out of RWE’s new Grimsby Hub, supporting two of RWE’s largest offshore wind projects: the newly operational 857 MW Triton Knoll and the 1.4 GW Sofia offshore wind farm. The agreement will also bring further investment into the port through the use of vessel support and maintenance services, local fuelling, pilotage and other ancillary services.
