(BILLINGSTAD, Norway) — Maritime transportation group Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) will add a second 272-foot wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) to its fleet, featuring an extensive range of ABB’s technology, with the power distribution system Onboard DC Grid at its core. The vessel will support operations at Hornsea Project Two off the UK coast, which, upon completion in 2022, will become the world’s biggest wind farm capable of powering over 1.3 million homes.
ABB’s Onboard DC Grid enables simple, flexible and functional integration of energy sources, such as batteries and fuel cells, and empowers the efficiencies associated with variable speed generator operation.
In addition to Onboard DC Grid, the ABB scope of supply includes tunnel thrusters, generators, transformers, batteries, ABB Ability Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS and ABB’s Remote Diagnostics Services. ABB will also provide its Power and Energy Management System (PEMS), which allows battery power to act as backup for running generators, again cutting the need to run spare capacity, and reducing maintenance and fuel consumption in the long-term.
“LDA is positioning itself at the forefront of the wind farm service sector in vessel performance and efficiency,” said Herve Lapierre, head of newbuilding at LDA. “Wind farm service requirements are still evolving, meaning that SOVs built for this market, in addition to being cost-effective, need to also be innovative and flexible.”
The Onboard DC Grid solution enables variable speed technology to dynamically optimize system energy use in line with the load situation, which results in a 20 percent cut in fuel consumption. Power from the dual batteries on board will be introduced to maximize efficiency, and the energy stored can come from a variety of sources, including renewables. DC distribution also provides a unique platform for digital solutions, so that data from equipment sensors can be transmitted between systems instantaneously, and bridge or shore-based systems can monitor and optimize vessel performance.
The vessel, designed by Salt Ship Design, will be built at Turkey’s CEMRE Shipyard. Like its predecessor, ordered in 2017, the second LDA vessel will be on contract with Orsted A/S, the largest energy company in Denmark.
