Windea Jules Verne – Ulstein Verft delivers new hybrid offshore wind vessel

The next generation

ULSTEIN VERFT DELIVERS BERNHARD SCHULTE’S NEXT GENERATION HYBRID OFFSHORE WIND VESSEL, THE WINDEA JULES VERNE.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ULSTEIN GROUP. I n June 2020, Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein Verft successfully delivered the service operation vessel Windea Jules Verne to German operator Bernhard Schulte Offshore GmbH. A battery hybrid service operation vessel for the offshore wind industry, the Windea Jules Verne will work at the Merkur offshore wind farm where she will be operating for GE Renewable Energy. Located outside of Germany, the 66 turbines in the farm provide green energy for approximately half a million homes.

Equipped with a large, centrally positioned W2W motion compensated gangway and elevator tower for personnel and cargo transfers, the vessel is well-suited for work in operation and maintenance, as well as construction support. At the 396 MW project, Windea Jules Verne will support

operations and maintenance of the 66 GE Haliade 150-6 MW turbines, which were commissioned in June last year.

Hybrid power The vessel completed final tests and sea trials at the shipyard in Norway in Spring 2020. All systems were tested, including the hybrid system. The Ulstein Hybrid Power Solution introduces a new element >>

integrated into a ship’s main power system where the added ‘grid support functions’ give new opportunities for flexible vessel operation. The system solution contains battery energy storage, power conversion and energy management as the main elements.

The holistic approach to vessel integration ensures the system works seamlessly with the ship’s existing power systems. In addition, Ulstein’s hybrid solution enables the crew to manage engine load fluctuations. The combustion engines are started and stopped according to a strategic schedule, where the hybrid power system is charged and discharged accordingly, saving fuel, energy and expenses. Hybrid power also reduces fuel emissions and general wear and tear.

“Offshore wind is a renewable source of energy, and by introducing a hybrid system on this vessel the fuel consumption and emissions will be reduced – thereby the overall operations will be greener”, states Ulstein Verft.

Zero-emission mode In zero-emission mode, the vessel is powered exclusively by the energy storage system. One major benefit is a cut in local emissions. The zero-emission mode functionality can be scaled from minutes of operation in harbour, to operations of vessels with predictable schedules in terms of activity and energy.

When power demand fluctuates, the hybrid power system increases efficiency, handling the peak loads by smoothing the load of the engines. This process prevents unnecessary start-up of standby engines, improving overall vessel efficiency. And for operations requiring redundancy on power supply, such as DP operations, the hybrid power system can act as a source of spinning reserve energy, enabling the vessel to operate safely with fewer engines running.

Inverted bow The Windea Jules Verne is based on the in-house design of the 93.4m Ulstein SX195. Accommodating 120 people, it serves as a ‘home from home’ for numerous offshore wind service engineers, as well as the ship’s crew. With this in mind, efforts have been made to make the Windea Jules Verne as comfortable for those on board as possible. There are several lounges in close connection to the mess room, a gaming room, a library, saunas and an exercise room. But, the key to its seaworthiness is Ulstein’s X-Bow and X-Stern.

Ulstein’s inverted bow concept is widely recognised as having redefined marine engineering. First launched in 2005, the design leads to softer motions in head seas, significantly reducing slamming and vibrations. Designed to have a tapered fore ship shape with a different volume distribution as well as sectional angles, it results in a wave piercing effect at small wave heights and reduces pitching and bow impact loads in bigger seas. Rather than rising on the waves and then dropping, the X-Bow is able to distribute the force more evenly across its surface, enabling the ship to remain more stable during poor weather conditions and increasing comfort for passengers and crew alike.

Fair seas The Windea Jules Verne is also equipped with a tower holding a personnel and equipment elevator and a heave compensated gangway for safe transferral to the offshore wind turbines for maintenance and service work. Besides the usual way of operation with the bow to the weather, the vessel can reverse stern first when operating infield and will, as an add-on, use a daughter craft to further increase the service capacity.

The Schulte Group is a multinational family owned shipping company with its headquarters based in Hamburg, Germany and 30 offices all over the world. With Bernhard Schulte Offshore GmbH (BS Offshore) the Schulte Group has a dedicated ship owning unit for all offshore activities, with vessels tailor made to meet the requirements of its customers, based on a long-term charter agreement. The Windea Jules Verne is the latest addition to this fleet.

i. www.ulstein.com i. www.bs-offshore.com

SPECS

Ship type Length Beam Draught Gross tonnage

Offshore support vessel 93m 18m 5.8m 6,081GT

Den Breejen SBI5.indd 1

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When it comes to building new vessels we take everything onboard. When it comes to building new vessels, we take everything When it comes to building new vessels we take everything onboard. We build and supervise from hull to delivery, from A to Z. We design the vessel in consultation with the client, and realise the interior to the fi nest detail. The high-quality application of technologies for propulsion, climate control, electronics and sanitary facilities ensures that the vessel meets every requirement. And all this is achieved within the agreed deadline. When it comes to building new vessels, we take everything onboard. We build and supervise the entire process from hull to delivery, from A to Z. Every vessel is designed in consultation with the client, taking into account even the finest of details. Using the latest in technological excellence for propulsion, climate control, electronics and sanitary facilities, we ensure that each vessel meets every requirement. And we achieve all of this We build and supervise from hull to delivery, from A to Z. We design the vessel in consultation with the client, and realise the interior to the fi nest detail. The high-quality application of technologies for propulsion, climate control, electronics and sanitary facilities ensures that the vessel meets every requirement. And all this is achieved within the agreed deadline. T +31 (0)184 - 676 140 onboard. We build and supervise the entire process from hull to delivery, from A to Z. Every vessel is designed in consultation with the client, taking into account even the finest of details. Using the latest in technological excellence for propulsion, climate control, electronics and sanitary facilities, we ensure that each vessel meets every requirement. And we achieve all of this on time and within budget. T +31 (0)184 - 676 140 on time and within budget. T +31 184 676 140 www.breejen-shipyard.nl www.breejen-shipyard.nl

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12-09-19 15:51

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