The steel cutting ceremony of yard number 315, the next offshore wind vessel for Bernhard Schulte, was carried out on 10 Sept 2018. Steel cutting is considered as first step of a newbuild project. The Service Operation Vessel (SOV) is of the SX195 design from Ulstein, and is destined to operate for GE Renewable Energy.
The SOV vessel has been contracted to support the maintenance work by GE Renewable Energy at the offshore wind farm Merkur Offshore.
The vessel is the third SOV vessel from Ulstein to Bernhard Schulte. Based on the SX195 design, she is a longer version of the two previous vessels. More about the vessel.
X-STERN
Equipped with the X-STERN, the vessel will have a strong advantage in her daily operations, as experienced with the first X-STERN vessel in history, the Windea La Cour, also owned by Bernhard Schulte, quoting:
"The X-STERN enables the vessel to run fast and efficient backwards, therefore, the vessel can choose the fastest way to the next turbine with either the bow or the stern first. During the first year in operation the X-STERN has met all expectations and it is amazing to see a vessel going backwards in bad weather without slamming and having spray on deck."
Source: Ulstein