German JV Orders Four New Vessels for Offshore Energy Market

A joint venture between Schoeller Holdings and Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt has ordered four construction commissioning service operation vessels (C-CSOVs) from the Chinese shipyard for offshore wind and wider offshore energy sector.

The construction commissioning service operation vessels (C-CSOVs) have been ordered from CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding, a member of the China State Shipbuilding Group, for delivery beginning in early 2027.

The vessels will be able accommodate on board up to 100 technicians, and will offer maximum operational flexibility, as it will be possible to deploy them in the offshore wind sector as well as in other segments of the offshore energy sector, according to the joint venture.

The 96.25-metre-long and 20-metre-wide ships will be suitable for performing work above and below water for wind farm installation and their operators, turbine manufacturers, grid operators and companies in the oil and gas sector.

Technical management will be provided by Columbia Shipmanagement, which, like the multipurpose cargo shipping company AAL, is part of Schoeller Holdings.

The C-CSOV design features enlarged and fully modular working deck, providing over 850 square meters of multipurpose space. When used in conjunction with a 50-tonne AHC crane featuring integrated 3D motion compensation, the special-purpose vessel will be able to perform not only conventional offshore wind tasks but also cable repairs, IMR and light construction work both above and below water.

The fully integrated offshore gangway system will provide access to platforms between 12 and 30 meters above the waterline.

A spacious lift will allow technicians and the necessary material to be transported to the offshore facilities quickly and without steps.

Also, a 12.4-tonne helicopter deck will satisfy the offshore industry’s requirements for these kinds of special-purpose vessels. The ship has also been designed for the use of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

“The energy market is desperate for new players and more ships. We will charter out the C-CSOVs worldwide, both on the spot market and for long-term contracts of up to 15 years,” said Philipp Maracke, Managing Partner of Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt, who founded the company together with Johannes Wolters, who acts also as managing partner.

“By combining a modified layout with modularity, we have created a vessel that is attractive for a wide range of customers without having to make compromises in the offshore wind market,” added Wolters.

The ship design was jointly developed by Deutsche Offshore Schifffahrt and the Norwegian company Salt Ship Design.