Norwegian company Edda Wind has ordered a further three commissioning service operation vessels (CSOV) in addition to the six ships the company already has under construction.
The vessels are designed for service operations during the commissioning and operation of offshore wind farms.
The three vessels will be prepared for instalment of zero-emission technology in the same way as the first six vessels, based on funding from Enova.
The latest newbuildings will mean the company will have a fleet of 11 purpose-built vessels, of which six are contracted on mid- to long term contracts with clients, such as Orsted, Vestas, Ocean Breeze, SSE and Siemens Gamesa.
One of the new vessels will be built at Astilleros Gondan, Spain, with Salt 0217 design and a planned delivery in July 2024.
The other two are to be built at Colombo Dockyard, Sri Lanka, and will be of Salt 0425 design, which is a further development of the Salt 0217 design.
The first vessel will be delivered January 2024 and the second vessel July of the same year.
The 89.3-metre long vessels will function as mother ships for technicians as they perform commissioning and maintenance work on the turbines.
Cabins and common areas can accommodate up to 97 technicians and 23 marine crew onboard.
The vessels will have anti-heeling and roll reduction systems, and motion compensated gangway systems with adjustable pedestals.
In addition, the company has options with the yards to build more vessels.
Edda Wind chief executive Kenneth Walland said: “Ordering another three purpose-built CSOVs will further strengthen Edda Wind’s leading position within offshore wind.
“By building a series of vessels like this, and with the experience and knowledge we have from the vessels currently under constructions, we are able to acquire these vessels at competitive prices.
“Tremendous growth is expected in the offshore wind market over the next decades, and the move is a clear signal on Edda Wind’s ambition to be a world-leading provider in this segment.”