Siemens’ specialized service operation vessel (SOV), the WINDNEA La Cour, was awarded for its unique design concept at the Annual Offshore Support Journal (OSJ) Conference in London this week. The 88-m vessel works as a platform for offshore wind operations and maintenance support, including technician accommodation and transport.
Siemens’ WINDEA La Cour at her christening ceremony in the harbor of Hamburg, Germany began her service campaign at the 600-MW Gemini offshore wind project.
According to the jury, the specialized vessel, which started its service campaign at the 600-MW Gemini offshore wind power plant in the Netherlands in September 2016, represents “a significant contribution to the development of the offshore renewables market during 2016.”
The ship is operated by Bernhard Schulte, and was delivered in 2016 and chartered out to Siemens Wind Power.
“It is a great honor to be part of this OSJ-Award,” said René Cornelis Wigmans, Head of Maritime and Aviation Solutions at Siemens Wind Power. “The award recognizes our approach as a service provider to deploy purpose-built SOVs as a major step in providing cost efficient service logistics for onsite maintenance of offshore wind projects over their full lifecycle in order to ensure the highest availability.”
Thanks to a specialized gangway, La Cour provides exceptional levels of safe and reliable access to offshore wind turbines. Special design feature, including the X-BOW and its X-STERN hull, help increase comfort for technicians aboard by reducing movements, vibrations, and noise.
WINDEA La Cour offers accommodation for 60 people in single cabins, of which 40 are dedicated to wind-service technicians.
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind, Projects
