Bibby Marine, part of Bibby Line Group, has entered into a shipbuilding contract to build the world’s first ‘truly zero-emission’ electric commissioning service operation vessel (eCSOV) designed for service operations during the commissioning and operation of offshore wind facilities.
The contract, with Gondan Shipbuilders will see the worlds first vessel of its kind by Bibby Marine, considered the World leader in owning and operating niche marine assets.
Designed to operate solely on battery power for more than 16 hours between charging cycles the eCSOV will be built in Gondan’s Asturias shipyard in Spain and is scheduled to be delivered in 2026.
The innovative vessel, featuring a powerful battery system will be complemented by dual-fuel methanol engines and is capable of drawing energy directly from turbines for emissions-free operations. To facilitate zero-emission operations, the eCSOV will feature high-voltage offshore charging facilities for rapid recharging.
After a thorough and extensive tendering process involving a variety of ship yards both in the UK and overseas, Gondan Shipbuilders was selected by Bibby Marine with an offer that stood out in terms of timeline, budget and quality.
Daniel Scavuzzo, sales director of Gondan Shipbuilders, added: “We are excited to begin this journey with Bibby Marine, who are at the forefront of offshore wind and committed to decarbonizing the maritime sector. This project fits seamlessly with our expertise in zero-emission technologies.”
The vessel will be equipped with industry leading mission equipment, a spacious insulated warehouse and climate controlled electrical store.
Bibby Marine chief executive Nigel Quinn said: “This is an exciting next step for our project, and we are delighted to have found a partner in Gondan Shipbuilders, who will bring our clean vision to life.
He added: “As a UK-owned company, we are pleased this vessel will be the first UK-designed CSOV and a UK-flagged vessel. We will continue to work alongside our established supply chain and local academia, to ensure UK shipyards are engaged, and have the opportunity to learn, throughout the process. We want this project to support the ambition to turn the UK into the world’s number one centre for green technology.
“The delivery of this vessel has the potential to be a game changer for our industry by accelerating our path to net-zero, as well as showcasing marine innovation at its finest. This project will demonstrate that clean ships can be built at the same total cost of ownership as a conventional fossil burning vessel, coupled with significantly reduced operating costs.”, added Bibby Marine chief executive, Nigel Quinn.
This innovative, world first project is part of the £206m Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) scheme, funded by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) and delivered by Innovate UK.
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