ECO’s battery-hybrid SOV will operate out of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal starting in the mid-2020s (source: Equinor)
New plug-in, battery-hybrid service operation vessel will operate out of Brooklyn, supporting offshore windfarms
Empire Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Equinor and BP, has signed a 10-year charter agreement with Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) for a new plug-in, battery-hybrid service operations vessel (SOV) for the US offshore wind market.
Under construction at ECO shipyards on the US Gulf coast, the SOV will be the first of its kind in the US offshore wind sector when it is delivered in 2024. Named ECO Edison, the 80-m SOV will be built to ABS class, will accommodate up to 60 wind turbine technicians and will be used for the safe and efficient operations and maintenance of the Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2 offshore windfarms in the New York Bight off the Atlantic coast. The charter will commence in the mid-2020s.
Flying the US flag, the SOV will operate from its home port at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in New York. There, the plug-in hybrid vessel will be able to recharge its batteries using shore power, making it the first SOV in the US capable of sailing on battery power for portions of its route. The expectations are that the SOV will use battery power while sailing in New York Harbor to reduce coastal emissions.
“The SOV will be the first of its kind in the US offshore wind sector”
“With the first of its kind, plug-in hybrid service operations vessel, Empire Wind will reduce potential emissions from our operations in the New York City area,” said Equinor vice president, Empire Wind and Beacon Wind Teddy Muhlfelder. “This is another critical step forward in the development of the offshore wind industry, while helping achieve critical state and federal climate goals.”
Tier 4 engines
Four Caterpillar 3512E EPA Tier 4 diesel gensets, each rated for 1,700 ekW, will provide propulsion power for the SOV in a diesel-electric arrangement, configured for variable speed operation, allowing for the highest levels of efficiency and minimised exhaust emissions.
GE Power Conversion’s electrical system can operate with either gensets or stored energy from battery systems.
For improved efficiency, the permanent magnet motor is integrated into Voith Schneider Propellers (VSPs). These eVSPs have a rapid thrust and steering response, with minimal noise and vibration. The thrusters also feature roll reduction and sleep mode, maximising station keeping, active motion-compensated gangway workability and comfort.
Among the advantages of the eVSP are its increase in efficiency due to the elimination of gears and the reduction of bearing points, as well as a very high motor efficiency, also in the partial load range, which is particularly relevant in the offshore sector. Additionally, no separate electric motor is required, and shaft lines are also eliminated.
ECO Edison will be equipped with extensive remote monitoring and support capability provided by Marine Technologies, an ECO-affiliated company based in Mandeville, Louisiana.
