The joint venture Windward Offshore, led by the Rickmers company ASSC, has now taken delivery of its first Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV), the “Windward Athens”.
The special ship delivered by Vard Brattvaag in Norway marks the company’s entry into operations with its own CSOV fleet. The Asian Steamship Company (ASSC), managed by Rickmer Clasen Rickmers, founded Windward Offshore together with partners in 2023. The Norwegian shipyard group Vard, which belongs to the Italian Fincantieri Group, initially ordered two and later two more offshore special-purpose vessels.
In addition to SeaRenergy Offshore, which belongs to the ASSC Group, the founding partners include the Blue Star Group – an investment company founded by Erck Rickmers – the shipping company Diana Shipping and SeraVerse.
The “Windward Athens” is 87.5 m long, 19.5 m wide and can accommodate up to 120 people. It is designed for installation, commissioning and maintenance work in offshore wind farms and has a motion-compensated gangway, modern crane systems and a hybrid propulsion system that is prepared for use with green methanol.
“The delivery of the ‘Windward Athens’ is a milestone for Windward Offshore,” said Managing Director Dr. Benjamin Vordemfelde. “As the first vessel in our fleet, she is the cornerstone for the high quality and reliable services we will provide to the offshore wind industry.”
After delivery, the vessel will be equipped for its first deployment and then go into charter for RWE in cooperation with North Star Renewables.
With three other identical CSOVs – “Windward Paris”, “Windward Munich” and “Windward Hamburg” – Windward Offshore is building one of the most modern service fleets for the offshore wind market.
How niches in the offshore and specialty shipping sector can become a business model will also be discussed extensively at this year’s HANSA Forum. Philipp Maracke – Managing Partner, Deutsche Offshore-Schifffahrt, will be taking part in a panel discussion on the future course of the offshore industry together with other experts.
Secure your place at the HANSA Forum and register here for one of the remaining places:
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