(With video) The Windea La Cour is soon to be taken in use at the Gemini offshore wind farm. It is the first vessel with an Ulstein X-Stern.
Shortly after the introduction of the X-Stern hull line at the ONS maritime exhibition in 2014, BS Offshore ordered two Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) for the offshore wind industry. The vessels are to be chartered by Siemens. The first of these, the Windea La Cour was delivered on 23 June.
X-Stern
The X-Stern is a pointed stern instead of a conventional transom (flat) stern. Flexibility in operations is one of the major benefits with the X-Stern.
The X-Stern shares much of the same characteristics as Ulstein's patented X-Bow design, which is also a design element in the Windea La Cour. The vessel will experience no bow or stern impact in terms of slamming, as the acceleration levels are lower. In addition, vibration levels will be lower and the sustained speed is higher.
Flexibility and comfort are key assets to the Windea La Cour, which will be accommodating, transporting and transferring technicians from shore and to the wind turbines at the Gemini wind farm offshore the Netherlands. The vessel can swiftly move between wind installations.
At sea trial, the vessel proved a maximum speed going astern (12.1 knots) close to the maximum forward speed (13.95 knots). See the video below. This increases flexibility when manoeuvring at the wind farm.
Second SOV under Construction
BS Offshore has another SOV under construction at the shipbuilding yard, Ulstein Verft. The vessel will be launched from the dock hall in two months’ time, before going on sea trial at the end of the year.
Picture from SWZ Maritime's July/August issue, "Maand Maritiem".
