Louisiana-based Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) has begun constructing the first US-built service operation vessel (SOV) to support offshore windfarms on the US east coast
Named ECO Edison, the 80-m SOV will be built to ABS class at ECO shipyards located in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. ECO owns LaShip in Houma and North American Shipbuilding in Larose, Louisiana, Gulf Ship in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and Tampa Ship in Tampa, Florida. The construction of the vessel on the US Gulf Coast is forecast to create more than 300 new jobs. Additional economic benefits will be underpinned by the manufacture of equipment and components in 12 states including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin, according to an Ørsted press statement.
When delivered in 2024, the US-flag SOV will provide operational support out of Port Jefferson, New York for Ørsted and Eversource’s joint venture offshore wind portfolio, which includes South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind. Once complete, South Fork Wind, Sunrise Wind and Revolution Wind will generate approximately 1.8 GW of offshore wind power, enough to power over 1M homes.
Capable of housing 60 crew, the SOV will be utilised during the operation and maintenance (O&M) phases of the windfarm projects, serving as an at-sea base of operations to accommodate and transfer technicians, tools and parts safely to and from the individual wind turbine generators.
“This new vessel will be the first of its kind in the United States and play a crucial role in the growth of America’s offshore wind industry,” said Ørsted Offshore North America chief executive David Hardy.
“Today, the development of a new, clean energy future for the United States takes another important step forward as construction begins on the nation’s first Jones Act-qualified service and operations vessel,” said Eversource Energy chief executive and president Joe Nolan.
Propulsion suppliers selected
With work beginning on the vessel, ECO has announced the selection of Caterpillar Marine, GE Power Conversion and Voith Schneider as power and propulsion system providers for ECO Edison. Four Caterpillar 3512E EPA Tier 4 diesel gensets, each rated for 1,700 ekW, will provide propulsion power in a diesel-electric arrangement, configured for variable speed operation, allowing for the highest levels of efficiency and minimised exhaust emissions.
GE Power Conversion’s electrical system can operate with either gensets or stored energy from battery systems.
For improved efficiency, the permanent magnet motor is integrated into Voith Schneider Propellers (VSPs). These eVSPs have a rapid thrust and steering response, with minimal noise and vibration. The thrusters also feature roll reduction and sleep mode, maximising station keeping, active motion-compensated gangway workability and comfort.
Among the advantages of the eVSP are its increase in efficiency due to the elimination of gears and the reduction of bearing points, as well as a very high motor efficiency, also in the partial load range, which is particularly relevant in the offshore sector. Additionally, no separate electric motor is required and shaft lines are also eliminated.
In addition, the SOV will be equipped with extensive remote monitoring and support capability provided by Marine Technologies, an ECO-affiliated company based in Mandeville, Louisiana.
Ørsted said the vessel design delivers high efficiency, low power consumption, minimum greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, maximum workability and the highest levels of comfort.
Ørsted, Eversource and ECO said ECO Edison is being constructed to incorporate future zero-carbon emissions technology to assist in reaching carbon-neutral goals. This would indicate future-proofing in the design to allow for the incorporation of battery and fuel-cell technology, and ability to burn low- or zero-carbon fuels through upgrade or conversion at a later date.
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