VARD has announced that it has been awarded an Approval in Principle (AiP) of the methanol fuelling system for two Commissioning Service Operation Vessels (CSOVs). The AiP is awarded by Lloyd’s Register and applies for two of the vessels designed and under construction for North Star. With this AiP, the two ships will be amongst the first prepared for conversion to green fuels in the wind market.
The CSOVs are of VARD 422 design and are tailor-made for the UK’s leading infrastructure support vessel operator, with new methanol ready hybrid-propulsion solutions.
VARD 4 22 is VARD’s first methanol ready project, and since the contract was signed between North Star and VARD in May 2023, the two companies have collaborated with Lloyds Register to gain the approval for methanol as fuel for the vessels. The approval has been through two levels of risk analysis and adjustment of the design to enable the future use of methanol as a fuel.
The ships have a high degree of preparation for the conversion and can be transitioned to methanol in line with the engine manufacturers scheduled release of the conversion kit. With this, the VARD 4 22 will be two of the first vessels in the wind market able to operate on green fuels.
Thomas Brathaug is Vice President in the Project Management department at VARD and has been leading the process: “This is an important step for VARD in our continuous work to lead the technological and green transition. With this approval in principle, we are assuring that we stay relevant in the market, meeting current and future needs from our customers.”
“Our commitment to methanol- ready vessels is essential in future-proofing North Star’s fleet for the low-carbon transition in offshore wind operations,” North Star Chief Technology Officer James Bradford added. “This AiP from Lloyd’s Register validates the robust design approach we’ve taken alongside VARD and prepares us to adopt green fuel technologies as available, aligning with our sustainability goals and the evolving needs of the renewables market.”
“The maritime industry is making significant progress towards the widespread adoption of zero-carbon fuels,” Mark Darley, Chief Operations Officer at Lloyd’s Register, said. “We are delighted to collaborate with North Star and VARD in advancing new technologies for emission reduction and highlighting the Norwegian maritime cluster’s expertise and ambition.
“We are committed to supporting the industry’s safe and sustainable shift to zero and near- zero carbon fuels and ensuring this innovative project prioritises safety, reliability and sustainability.”
CSOVs are highly versatile platforms for all offshore windfarm support operations, focusing on onboard logistics, walk-2-work access offshore, accommodation, comfort, large storage capacities and superior operability.
North Star’s and VARD 4 22 designs have been tailor-made for market leading accessibility to enable commissioning and maintenance operations to the offshore wind industry. The ships are produced in close collaboration with Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway. They feature the latest hull design optimized for low fuel consumption and resistance, as well as high operability and comfort.
The 4 22 vessels for North Star are equipped with a high-performance daughter craft with space for a second to suit clients’ operational needs.
The CSOVs will be equipped with technology from Vard Electro’s flexible SeaQ portfolio, covering solutions for power, control, bridge and navigation, and communication. The SeaQ package constitutes a great advantage and by utilizing battery technology for hybrid operations, the SeaQ delivery facilitates for even smarter, and more energy-efficient operations for reduced emissions and fuel consumption.
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