VARD Secures Second ABS Approval for Jones Act-Compliant Offshore Wind Service Vessel

The VARD 4 19 SOV design. Image courtesy VARD

Naval architect Vard Marine has been awarded its second Approval in Principle from the American Bureau of Shipping for a Jones Act-compliant service operation vessel (SOV) for the U.S. offshore wind market.

The VARD 4 19 US SOV design features primary functions including accommodation, transferring technicians to installations as well as storing spare parts and tools for operations in US offshore wind farms.

ABS awarded its first AIP to VARD during the 2019 International Workboat Show in New Orleans for the VARD 4 07 US SOV, marking the first Jones Act SOV AIP awarded.

This second design is a larger design variant, designed to be environmentally friendly with a focus on low fuel consumption and ease of construction. The design incorporates a state-of-the-art hull form designed for all weather conditions which, together with the specified propulsion configuration, offers economical steaming, enhanced seakeeping abilities, and excellent station keeping performance, according to VARD. The vessel is optimized to reduce motions and accelerations in all degrees of freedom with the aim to increase operability and comfort.

“We believe that the US offshore wind market holds several promising opportunities for US owners, designers and shipbuilders. The US market seems to be moving quickly starting on the East Coast, so a purpose-built US offshore wind Jones Act fleet is inevitable. This creates some challenges for US designers and shipbuilders since the necessary SOVs need to be under construction now to support the developer’s schedules,” said Darren Truelock, Vice President, Vard Marine Houston.

“Delivery schedules and price points over the next year will be tested and squeezed in order to bring the right vessels online at the right time and within budget. VARD is focusing on the US SOV market since these vessels are within our expertise, and we can leverage our extensive Jones Act knowledge of the US offshore service vessel (OSV) market in addition to our existing industry relationships and with shipbuilders. It is with great enthusiasm that we continue to progress on this exciting new journey in the US,” Truelock added.

The vessel will have the ABS Class notations + A1, OFFSHORE SUPPORT VESSEL (WIND-SC), +AMS, + ACCU, DPS-2, HAB(WB.).

Vard Marine is a consulting naval architecture and marine engineering company with Canadian operations located in Vancouver and Ottawa, and American operations located in Houston, Texas.

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