Norwegian firm to furnish Tidewater vessel with battery retrofit

Tidewater Rederi, a Norwegian subsidiary of the U.S. offshore vessel operator Tidewater, has ordered a battery package for one of its platform supply vessels (PSVs) from Norway’s Norwegian Electric Systems (NES), a subsidiary of HAV Group.

NES reported on Monday that it was contracted by Tidewater to deliver a battery package and associated control system for battery charging to be retrofitted on board the PSV North Pomor. This 2013-built vessel is already equipped with diesel-electric propulsion and can accommodate 40 people.

The deal with Tidewater will enable NES to provide the equipment for this PSV in connection with a forthcoming vessel upgrade, utilising competence across its Norwegian facilities in Bergen and Ålesund to design, assemble and test the battery package and control system. This is scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023. No financial details about the contract were disclosed.

Egil Bremnes, sales manager at NES, remarked: “Authorities and societies all over the world expect the offshore industry to reduce its carbon footprint. Retrofitting a battery package on board a vessel is a quick way to cut emissions. Moreover, installing a battery package reduces fuel costs and operating expenditure, while also enhancing system reliability on board. This also explains why we are experiencing increased interest in battery retrofits on board offshore support vessels.”

NES’ deal with Tidewater comes only months after the Norwegian player secured a contract with Volstad Maritime to deliver the battery package and associated control system for battery charging to the subsea construction vessel M/S Volantis.

When it comes to Tidewater’s recent activities, it is worth noting that the U.S. vessel operator completed the acquisition of Singapore’s Swire Pacific Offshore in April 2022.

Thanks to this, the company added 50 vessels to its fleet, bringing its total fleet size to 203 vessels, including crew boats, tug boats and maintenance vessels.