US shipbuilder Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) has started construction of a service operations vessel (SOV) for Orsted and Eversource that will be the first Jones Act-qualified wind farm SOV in the US.
The vessel, ECO Edison, is being built at ECO shipyards in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, creating over 300 new jobs.
Components of the vessel are being manufactured across 12 states including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
ECO Edison will be delivered in 2024 and provide operational support out of Port Jefferson, New York for Orsted and Eversource’s joint venture offshore wind portfolio, which includes South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind.
The vessel will be over 79 metres long and capable of accommodating 60 crew members.
It will be utilised during the operation and maintenance phases of the wind farms.
Orsted Offshore North America chief executive David Hardy said: “This new vessel will be the first of its kind in the United States and play a crucial role in the growth of America’s offshore wind industry.
“We’re proud to work with companies like Edison Chouest Offshore to support good-paying jobs in states across the country as we build a new energy future.”
Eversource Energy chief executive Joe Nolan said: “Today, the development of a new, clean energy future for the United States takes another important step forward as construction begins on the nation’s first Jones Act-qualified service and operations vessel.
“Construction of this vessel will mean hundreds of new jobs for American workers as we continue to bring the benefits of offshore wind to communities around the country.”
ECO has selected Caterpillar Marine, GE Power Conversion and Voith Schneider as power and propulsion system providers.
The vessel will be powered by four Caterpillar 3512E EPA Tier 4 generator sets (gensets), each rated for 1700 ekW.
The GE Power Conversion electrical system can operate with gensets or stored energy.
The latest generation of Voith Schneider propellers, featuring integrated permanent magnet motors, will used for propulsion.