North Star takes delivery of its first CSOV, Grampian Kestrel

The new vessel was named at a ceremony at Vard’s Langsten shipyard in Norway on 6 May 2025.

Grampian Kestrel is the first of two CSOVs to be delivered to the company in 2025.

The new vessel, of Vard 4 22 design, is due to enter into service with EnBW on the He Dreiht offshore windfarm, in advance of a decade-long charter contract the firm signed in 2024 to provide another vessel, a service operation vessel of Vard 407 design, to support operations on the German windfarm.

The Vard 4 22 design CSOV was developed in close collaboration with Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway and is ‘methanol ready’ with a hybrid propulsion solution. 

North Star chief executive Gitte Gard Talmo said, “Grampian Kestrel is another milestone in our strategy to make North Star the leading SOV provider in Europe. The vessel is built to service an offshore windfarm throughout its lifecycle. 

“We are proud to name this future-ready vessel, which sets a new industry benchmark, becoming the first in the world to achieve Lloyd’s Register’s Cyber Resilience classification.”

North Star now has a fleet of eight offshore wind vessels, including delivered and in-build assets.