The first steel was cut for IWS Fleet’s Construction Service Operation Vessel
The first steel has been cut for IWS Fleet AS first Construction Service Operation Vessel at the China Merchants Heavy Industry facility in Jiangsu, China. The ceremony held 14th of January 2022 marks a major milestone in bringing the series of IWS Fleet’s offshore wind service vessels into the renewables market. The vessel will be named IWS Skywalker and commence its first contract at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm in summer 2023. Dogger Bank Wind Farm is owned by SSE, Equinor, and ENI.
IWS Skywalker is designed specifically to support commissioning works during the construction of wind farms, as well as supporting operations and maintenance during the lifetime of offshore wind farms, bottom fixed and floating.
The hybrid powered vessel will be the first vessel in the industry capable of zero emission operations. The vessel is designed by Kongsberg Maritime and equipped with the latest generation fully compensated gangway and crane from MacGregor. The vessel has several “industry firsts” having the largest battery pack with solar panels for charging, hull and propulsion design increasing operability and reducing emissions, and an energy consumption estimated to be 20% lower than other CSOV’s currently under construction.
The vessel is also the first in the industry to have the “DNV SILENT” notation, which focuses on minimizing the impact on marine life below water. Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment (ENOVA) has granted EUR 1 million to support the environmental initiatives on IWS Skywalker as the vessels advanced technology will reduce annual emissions by more than 1,300t CO2 equivalents.
“This new vessel is reflecting Integrated Wind Solutions’ ambitions to be a front-runner in the industry as an unmatched integrated supplier of services in the offshore wind industry. IWS Skywalker will take the industry to new heights as it pushes the boundaries of operability, environmental impact, and efficiency,” says Christopher A. Heidenreich, Managing Director of the IWS Fleet AS.
The second vessel of the Skywalker class will be delivered mid-2023, and based on the keen interest in our design and capabilities and strong market demand, Integrated Wind Solutions is in advanced dialog for ordering additional vessels of the Skywalker class for delivery early 2024.
About IWS Fleet AS:
IWS Fleet provides a fleet of state-of-the-art, purpose-built Walk-to-Work vessels providing services to the offshore wind industry across its entire life cycle, from installation and commissioning, operations, and maintenance to decommissioning.
The Skywalker class can carry up to 120 personnel, has a fully integrated and compensated walk-to-work gangway and a 3D compensated crane which can lift cargo fully compensated from the vessel deck to a fixed or floating wind turbine or perform subsea operations for the balance of plant scope.
For more information see website: integratedwind.com/iwsfleet
IWS Fleet AS is a fully owned subsidiary of Integrated Wind Solutions AS (Euronext Growth ticker code: IWS). In addition to IWS Fleet, Integrated Wind Solutions owns the offshore wind service company IWS Services A/S, and hold a 30% ownership in the independent advisor, consultancy, data intelligence and wind farm operator, PEAK-Wind Group. Integrated Wind Solutions AS is headquartered in Oslo, Norway. For more information, see the company website: integratedwind.com
