Damen Shipyards has recently awarded a contract to SMST for the delivery of mission equipment for two new Elevation Series Commissioning Service Operating Vessels (CSOVs) for Windcat Offshore. The equipment includes a Telescopic Access Bridge L-Series, Access & Cargo Tower, and a 10t 3D motion-compensated crane, which is the world's largest of its kind.
According to Menno de Jong, Sales Manager at SMST, this new 3D crane offers offshore handling possibilities that were not previously available, allowing for more efficient construction of offshore wind farms. Stephen Bolton, Managing Director at Windcat Offshore, expressed his pleasure in working with SMST, stating that their latest motion-compensated gangway, tower, and elevator have the greatest range available on the market, reaching up to 30m above sea level.
The CSOVs, designed by Damen Shipyards in collaboration with Windcat and CMB.TECH, are 87m long, 20m wide, and can accommodate 120 people on board. They will be powered by hydrogen and will be built at Ha Long Shipyard in Vietnam. Windcat Offshore, a new business unit focusing on offshore energy commissioning and services, will receive the vessels, with options for additional vessels in the future.
To reduce the CO2 footprint of the vessels, Windcat and CMB.TECH will provide the same dual-fuel hydrogen technology used on board the Hydrocat, the world's first hydrogen-powered Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV). This approach is expected to make a significant contribution to the development of rules and regulations regarding the use of hydrogen as a fuel in medium-sized vessels.
Joost van der Weiden, Sales Manager Benelux at Damen Shipyards, states that they are committed to building sustainable vessels and believe that SMST's offshore systems can support them in achieving this goal. The SMST mission equipment is expected to be in operation on board the CSOVs from 2025, offering new possibilities for efficient offshore handling.
