Florida-based shipping company Crowley and Denmark’s ESVAGT will jointly build and operate a service operations vessel (SOV) under a long-term charter with Siemens Gamesa which will be deployed on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind off Virginia, USA.
Under the new contract, Crowley will manage and crew the SOV to support Siemens Gamesa’s service operations on Dominion Energy’s wind farm.
ESVAGT, based in Denmark, will support Crowley with design, construction, crew training, and operation services as part of the two companies’ joint venture, CREST Wind, created in 2021.
The 289-foot vessel will be able to accommodate 80 crew and technicians. Consistent with federal law, the vessel will be US-built when it enters service in 2026.
”This vessel marks another significant milestone in our overarching, combined capabilities to help develop, construct and serve the U.S. offshore wind market and America’s clean, renewable energy needs,” said Bob Karl , senior vice president and general manager, Crowley Wind Services.
”We appreciate Siemens Gamesa’s trust in our capabilities, and we look forward to continuing our work to develop state-of-the-art, purpose-built vessels to meet sustainable energy demands in the U.S.”
This is ESVAGT’s first offshore wind contract in the US.
”This first contract in the U.S. is a landmark event for ESVAGT in our quest to help drive the green transition as a global leader of SOV services,” said Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer Soren Karas of ESVAGT.
”We are excited to bring our decades of offshore wind experience to bear in a new market through our CREST JV with the premier Jones Act operator, Crowley. Together, we can offer an unparalleled solution to the wind industry and are delighted that Siemens Gamesa have recognized this.”
Dominion Energy plans to construct 176 14.7 MW Siemens Gamesa wind turbines and three offshore substations, generating enough clean, renewable energy to power up to 660,000 homes. It would avoid five million tons per year of carbon emissions compared with fossil fuel usage for power.
”This is an important step in the development of a skilled offshore workforce in America,” said David Hickey , CEO, Service Americas for Siemens Gamesa.
”This charter will enable us to provide top-tier service for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project with a U.S.-built vessel.”