French Shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Selects ZPMC for New Service Operation Vessels

France’s Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) has chosen Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC) to construct its latest series of service operation vessels (SOV) for offshore wind sites in the German North Sea.

Earlier this year, LDA secured a $575 million SOV tender from Vattenfall, Sweden’s largest utility, for wind farms in the North Sea, including DanTysk, Sandbank, and the Nordlicht wind farm zone. The contract also includes an option for a third vessel.

As per the agreement with Vattenfall, LDA will develop, own, and operate two confirmed SOVs. The first unit is scheduled to be operational by mid-2027, with the second unit following before the year ends. The third SOV, if exercised, will be allocated for future projects in the North Sea.

Designed by Norway’s Salt Ship Design, the new vessels will be flagged under France and will incorporate top-of-the-line European components such as the gangway system, DP system, and crucial propulsion line systems, ensuring high-quality standards, according to LDA.

LDA’s current SOV fleet includes the Wind of Change (2019) and the Wind of Hope (2021), commissioned by Danish utility Ørsted for offshore wind farm maintenance in Germany and the UK. The company also operates the SOV walk-to-work vessel Wind of Pride, acquired in 2019.