Bibby Marine says its battery-first electric commissioning service operation vessel (eCSOV) can reduce fuel consumption by around 40 per cent compared with a traditional CSOV “from day one”, while providing a pathway to zero-fuel operation as offshore charging infrastructure becomes available.
The eCSOV is currently under construction at Armon Shipyard in Vigo, Spain, and is expected to enter service in 2027. The vessel will operate on a battery-first, self-charging basis, supported by dual-fuel methanol/MGO generator sets.
"One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding vessel electrification is that it only delivers value once offshore charging infrastructure is in place. That's simply not the case", said Kevin Brown, Commercial Director at Bibby Marine.
In a press release on 24 September, Bibby Marine highlighted that the eCSOV design still uses fuel, but its battery-first design allows onboard generators to operate at a more consistent and efficient load rather than continuously responding to changing power demand. This reduces fuel dependency and contributes to lower operating costs and emissions, the company noted.
While equipped with self-charging capability, the new vessel is also ready to make use of onshore and offshore charging infrastructure as it becomes available, eventually enabling zero-fuel operation.
"Our battery-first design has been developed to deliver meaningful commercial benefits from day one. The batteries provide the primary source of power, while onboard generators recharge the system at a steady, efficient load. That significantly reduces operating costs compared with conventional propulsion, while giving operators the flexibility they need today”, said Brown.