Photo of the Day: Second Siemens SOV Gearing for Launch

Norwegian ship designer and shipbuilder Ulstein has shared a photo of the second wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) built for Bernhard Schulte Offshore and chartered out to Siemens Wind Power Service as the vessel is getting ready to be launched.

Ulstein did not reveal the exact date of the launch, but the company revealed earlier that it expects the second SOV to hit the water from the dock hall at Ulstein Verft by the end of October.

The vessel is scheduled to start sea trials by the end of the year, Ulstein said.

Her sister vessel, the Windea La Cour, started working on the 600MW Gemini offshore wind farm off the coast of the Netherlands in September 2016.

Both vessels are based on the SX175 design from Ulstein, and are equipped with the hull features X-BOW and X-STERN.

The hull features improve the sea characteristics when the vessels are positioned alongside the wind turbines during transferral of service technicians from the vessel through a heave compensated gangway, Ulstein said.

The vessels have accommodation for 60 persons in single cabins, of which 40 cabins are dedicated to technicians.

The ship design and shipbuilding contract on the two SOVs was signed in 2015.

Image source: Ulstein/Twitter