UK shipowner Bibby Marine has signed a contract with Gondan Shipbuilders in Spain for what it says will be the world’s first truly zero-emission, electric commissioning service operation vessel (eCSOV).
The eCSOV will be built in Gondan’s Asturias shipyard and is scheduled to be delivered in 2026.
The vessel, designed in collaboration with UK-based shipdesigners Longitude, will feature a battery system, complemented by dual-fuel methanol engines as well as high-voltage offshore charging facilities.
The unit will have the capability to operate solely on battery power for over 16 hours between charging cycles, Bibby Marine said. Last year the company said the 90-m-long vessel would be built in the UK and be its first newbuild in five years.
“As a UK owned company, we are pleased this vessel will be the first UK designed SOV and a UK flagged vessel. We will continue to work alongside our established supply chain and local academia, to ensure UK shipyards are engaged, and have the opportunity to learn, throughout the process,” said Bibby Marine CEO, Nigel Quinn.
The project is part of the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure scheme, funded by the UK Department for Transport and delivered by Innovate UK, under which Bibby Marine and consortium partners secured over £20m.
“The delivery of this vessel has the potential to be a game changer for our industry by accelerating our path to net-zero, as well as showcasing marine innovation at its finest. This project will demonstrate that clean ships can be built at the same total cost of ownership as a conventional fossil burning vessel, coupled with significantly reduced operating costs,” Quinn added.
