Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), a public sector shipbuilder in India, has begun construction of its second hybrid Service Operation Vessel (SOV) for North Star Shipping Ltd, UK. The steel-cutting ceremony was conducted in Kochi and officiated by North Star’s CTO, James Bradford. Representatives from CSL, including Finance Director Jose AU and Executive Director Harikrishnan S., as well as officials from classification society DNV, were present.
These SOVs are intended for use in the operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms. North Star Shipping is a UK-based pioneer in the offshore wind energy sector and is committed to sustainable solutions. The new vessel is a VARD 19 design, an 86-meter hybrid-electric SOV equipped with a Dynamic Positioning (DP2) system, diesel generators from Yanmar, and high-capacity lithium-ion batteries.
This vessel will feature the MAST walk-to-work system and house 80 personnel including wind turbine maintenance specialists and crew. It will also serve as a warehouse and logistics hub. CSL is constructing two such SOVs for North Star, reinforcing India’s capability in building specialized green maritime assets for global offshore renewable energy players.