Ulstein Turning PSVs into Battery Hybrid ERRVs
Ulstein and ESVAGT have entered into a contract for the conversion of two platform supply vessels (PSV) to Emergency Response Rescue Vessel (ERRV) battery hybrid ships, Ulstein has revealed.
The PSVs Hermit Fighter and Hermit Prosper will undergo conversion to ERRV and battery power at Ulstein Verft, where they were originally built.
The transformation to hybrid propulsion will be conducted by Ulstein Power & Control. Engineering work at Ulstein has already commenced, with the vessels scheduled to arrive at the shipyard in October 2021. The final installation and commissioning of the hybrid system will be completed during spring 2022.
Ulstein’s workscope under the contract includes project management, procurement, engineering, production and power and control deliveries. A battery deck house with grid support unit for hybrid power will be prepared, methanol tanks will be rebuilt to carry liquids under the OSV Chemical Code, and, on the main deck, new prefabricated deck houses will be installed accommodating rescue zones, as will new ESVAGT type Fast Rescue Boats, Ulstein outlined.
“This is an important contract for Ulstein,” Rolf Ottar Rovde, the sales manager at Ulstein Power & Control, said in a company statement. “We will prepare these vessels to a greener propulsion setup which include battery powering … These upgrades will reduce fuel consumption and emissions and prolong the lifetime of the diesel engines,” he added.
“Ulstein Power & Control delivered the power and automation solutions to the vessels as newbuilds. Our delivery now includes the power and automation system for the battery package, frequency converter, drives and switchboard reconstruction as well as installation and commissioning,” Mr Rovde went on to say.
Kristian Ole Jakobsen, the DCEO of ESVAGT, said, “this is indeed highly important projects for ESVAGT, and we therefore appreciate the contracts with Ulstein Verft and Ulstein Power & Control for optimization of functionalities and improved energy and emission efficiencies of these high-quality X-BOW vessels.”
The Hermit Fighter and Hermit Prosper, from Ulstein Verft, were both delivered in 2012. They are the two first vessels of the PX121 design from Ulstein Design & Solutions AS.
Ulstein Group, which was founded in 1917, is a family owned company comprising several marine enterprises within ship design and solutions, shipbuilding, global sales and shipping, the company’s website states.
ESVAGT describes itself as a high-quality provider of safety and support at sea. The business, which was founded with the purpose of providing emergency and rescue services to the Danish oil and gas industry, now operates a fleet of more than 40 purpose built vessels providing services to the wind industry and the maturing oil and gas industries.
Source: Rigzone