North Star Orders Two New Service Operation Vessels from Vard to Support Offshore Wind Operations

UK-based offshore vessel operator North Star has returned to Norwegian shipbuilder Vard with an order for two new service operation vessels (SOVs) to support offshore wind operations across the UK and Europe.

The newbuilds are based on the Vard 4 19 design, developed specifically for offshore wind support. Each vessel will be 87.5 m long with a 19.5-m beam and will feature a motion-compensated gangway with an integrated elevator, a boat landing system, and accommodation for up to 120 personnel.

The SOVs will be fitted with battery hybrid propulsion and are designed for future conversion to methanol operation.

Construction of the first vessel will begin at Vard Braila in Romania, with final outfitting and delivery from one of Vard’s Norwegian yards scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027. The second unit will be built and delivered from Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam in the fourth quarter of 2028. No price tag has been disclosed. Both ships will go on long-term charter with German utility RWE.

The order brings the total number of North Star offshore wind vessels contracted with the Fincantieri-controlled shipbuilder to ten. The company previously ordered four SOVs and two commissioning SOVs (CSOVs), in addition to two vessels based on Vard designs being built at third-party yards.

“VARD has been a long-standing and trusted partner,” North Star said in a statement. “With six vessels already delivered and two more under construction, this new order strengthens our commitment to supporting offshore wind growth.”

North Star aims to deliver 40 hybrid offshore wind vessels by 2040 to meet rising demand for operations and maintenance support services. The company was acquired in 2022 by private equity firm Partners Group, acting on behalf of its clients.