Offshore wind service operation vessels (SOVs) have an obvious and undeniable place in the market but are the planned numbers all required? Is an over-specification of vessel type for the work in hand, one that an industry under pressure can’t really afford? asks John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies.

In recent years, offshore wind farms have become a key part of the global clean energy portfolio, and, as the sector has expanded and evolved, the industry has coalesced around tried and tested processes for construction, and subsequently ongoing operations and maintenance.

But in the rush to build greater offshore wind capacity – particularly in new markets and those further offshore – are we missing an opportunity to improve operations at sea?

Carbon copying
Historically, offshore wind has naturally drawn from the learnings and experience from the offshore oil and gas industry. This has helped drive efficiency in the market, as engineering expertise in sub-sea structures and operations has been transplanted to support a new type of renewable technology.

But as offshore wind has matured in its own right, and particularly as the industry has scaled up in both turbine size and distance from shore, a blanket replication of oil and gas methodologies across all phases of development and operation seems increasingly divergent from the needs of cost and efficiency and in particular the new and required skilled workforce.

Follow the talent
In thinking more carefully about the future needs for offshore wind operations and maintenance, it would be foolish to overlook the most impactful asset of all – people.

Talent recruitment is a huge challenge for the offshore wind industry. There is a skill shortage for clean energy companies, and the hiring package to attract a new talent pool has to be very attractive.

At a time when many workers are re-evaluating their work-life balance post Covid, financial compensation is no longer the only criteria for job hunters or those deciding upon their future careers. Of equal importance will be the way roles integrate with workers’ personal lives. Offering daily commutes to offshore wind farms via CTV, or a shorter 4-day week offshore on a SOV or a SATV (service accommodation transfer vessel) are likely far more preferable to the next generation of offshore workers than two weeks or more at sea at a time.

For a workforce whose skills are in high demand, engineers looking for a job are studying the propositions, and it will be the company with the best offer on the table that will be in a position to hire the next generation of offshore wind engineers.

Over specification
We can also see this in vessel procurement, where, as offshore wind works with its new found scale, it trends towards the procurement of large service operation vessels (SOVs) for deep water operations and maintenance (O&M) activity.

In offshore wind construction, SOVs are, rightly, the obvious default choice. Their versatility in construction support is unmatched. But with CTVs, fast crew boats and SATVs all able to carry the crews, equipment and parts vital to the maintenance needs of offshore wind farms, the planned quantum of SOVs in O&M start to look a bit like a luxury.

Procuring smarter, not bigger
Under normal design parameters, it is over 10 times more expensive to specify and build an SOV, rather than a CTV for offshore wind O&M (and four times more expensive than a SATV). Commensurately, running costs are also significantly higher and manufacturing times much longer.

More high speed CTVs, high speed transit vessels and SATVs working alongside fewer SOVs is surely the answer

Clean support for clean energy
Lastly, we also have to think about the external factors that will influence future vessel procurement.

With the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) beginning to have an impact in future fleet procurement for global shipping, it follows that emissions regulations for the large and small scale workboat sector will, or certainly should, follow suit.

With efficient hull design, hybrid power or fully electric drivetrains all emerging into the CTV and SATV market, the adaptability of larger SOV designs to these new technologies looks increasingly limited.

As global legislation begins to catch-up on emissions, and financiers carefully consider whether to lend to large vessel types reliant on marine diesel fuels, there is also a risk that expensive SOVs have a limited operational lifetime.

We’re not advocating to rule SOVs out of the offshore wind equation all together; as we highlight, offshore wind construction needs vessels of that type and scale. But if we’re to manage our cost base in offshore wind more efficiently, then that focus, we believe, should also cause us to examine the vessel supply chain.

Source: Splash 247
 

Read Here
	Issue 83 of Robban Assafina (Jan./ Feb. 2023)