New Service Operation Vessel Arrives at Seagreen Wind Farm Base in Scotland
A new service operation vessel (SOV) has arrived at Scotland's Montrose Port, home to Seagreen offshore wind farm’s operations and maintenance base, SSE Renewables, a partner in the offshore wind farm project has informed.
The 82-meter-long Edda Brint has been designed and built to order for offshore wind operations at Seagreen, the world's deepest fixed-bottom wind farm.
The vessel can accommodate up to 60 personnel in separate high-standard cabins, and features a motion-compensated gangway system enabling it to land on any kind of offshore facility.
The Edda Brint, owned by Norway-based Edda Wind, has also been prepared for future zero-emission operations due to its hybrid hydrogen power capability.
Setting a New Standard in Offshore Wind
The vessel, built by Spain's Astilleros Balenciaga in 2022, will help support safer and more efficient operations and will visit Montrose Port every two weeks throughout the 15-year contract. The SOV will set a new standard in the offshore wind market and includes a hospital/sick bay, gym, day room and game room. SSE Renewables said.
The SOV has a 15-year contract with wind turbine maker Vestas to perform operation and maintenance work for Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, Seagreen.
The SOV is expected to begin operations at the wind farm, located 27km of the Angus Coast, in the coming weeks.
Robert Bryce, Director of Asset Management Offshore for SSE Renewables, said: "The arrival of Edda Brint to Montrose Port marks another milestone in the Seagreen project. The vessel will serve as the mother vessel for Seagreen for the next fifteen years, its primary role will be to operate as a platform from which technicians can perform operational and maintenance of Seagreen’s offshore wind turbines."
“At SSE Renewables we care about our supply chain and are always looking at ways we can reduce carbon emissions and promote green energy. The Edda Brint, in a few years, will have the potential of supporting the maintenance of Seagreen without generating carbon emissions, it is the future of SOVs.”
The Seagreen Wind Farm is a joint venture project between SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies. When complete, the wind farm will consist of 114 Vestas V164-10.0 MW turbines and will be capable of generating around 5,000 GWh of renewable energy annually which is enough clean and sustainable electricity to power more than 1.6m UK households.