An expansion of a partnership between Ørsted and ESVAGT will see the building of a sister vessel to what is claimed as the world’s first methanol-powered service operation vessel (SOV), with an anticipated launch date of 2026. The vessel will be operated from Ørsted’s UK East Coast Hub under a 10-year contract.
The new-build SOV will feature dual fuel engines capable of running on renewable e-methanol produced from renewable energy and biogenic carbon, resulting in an estimated annual carbon emissions reduction of 4,500 tons. Furthermore, the FlagshipONE e-methanol facility located in Sweden will supply methanol for both of the SOVs.
The second sustainably fueled SOV will contribute towards Ørsted’s aims of becoming carbon neutral in its energy generation and own operations by 2025, in addition to reaching its science-based target of net zero emissions across the full value chain by 2040.
“As the world leader in offshore wind, Ørsted will continue to look for the best green alternatives to fossil fuels,” explained Mark Porter, head of operations for Europe at Ørsted. “E-methanol is a strong match for our SOVs, and we’re very pleased that we, along with ESVAGT, will soon welcome the second methanol-powered vessel to our fleet.”
“We are delighted to expand our collaboration with Ørsted on this groundbreaking operation,” added Søren Karas, chief strategy and commercial officer, ESVAGT. “As a global market leader in marine services for offshore wind, ESVAGT is deeply committed to continuously innovating to deliver lower emission solutions. We are looking forward to bringing the first methanol-powered SOVs to the market.”
Read more on Ørsted here.