Norway-headquartered GC Rieber Shipping has placed an order for two WindKeeper service operations vessels (SOVs) for offshore wind operations at Cemre shipyard in Türkiye.
The shipowner and project house has set up a stand-alone company for the vessels called WindKeeper with a total investment of approximately EUR 110 million.
The project and vessels are fully financed through a combination of equity and debt financing. Sparebanken Vest and Eksfin have provided long-term loan facilities of a minimum of EUR 51 million.
The order includes options for further two vessels with the first SOV planned to be delivered in the first quarter of 2025.
The WindKeeper SOVs are based on small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) methodology and design, which offers the offshore wind market improved operability, ultra-low fuel consumption, and the option of fully electric operations in the field, GC Rieber said.
“WindKeeper will drive down charterers daily costs and substantially reduce their emissions, improving their environmental footprint. We believe WindKeeper will be a preferred alternative for this decade. WindKeeper’s Charge2Work, zero emission alternative, further allows for the option of fully electric operations in field”, said Christoffer Knudsen , GC Rieber Shipping CCO.
GC Rieber Shipping is a shipowner and project house with a focus on developing profitable and sustainable maritime projects.
Last year, Taiwan’s Dong Fang Offshore, a subsidiary of Hung Hua Construction, purchased the Construction and Flex Lay vessel Polar Onyx from GC Rieber Shipping, which was converted into a cable-laying vessel.