Danish power company Ørsted has entered an agreement with Esvagt to build a green fuel vessel for offshore wind operations.
Claimed to be the first of its kind in the world, the new service operation vessel (SOV) will support the decarbonisation of both the maritime and offshore wind sectors.
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Using batteries and dual-fuel engines, the green fuel vessel will operate on renewable e-methanol generated from wind energy and biogenic carbon.
Esvagt plans to begin the construction of the vessel in the second quarter of this year. Ørsted will provide e-methanol for the new vessel.
The SOV will serve the Hornsea 2 offshore wind farm, off the east coast of the UK, after being commissioned in 2024.
Esvagt chief strategy and commercial officer Søren Karas said: “This is an important milestone with real meaningful impact on the green transition. Ørsted and Esvagt share an ambition for a sustainable future, and as an industry leader we’re committed to taking the lead in decarbonising the maritime industry.”
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By GlobalDataThe investment is expected to support Ørsted in achieving carbon-neutral targets in its operations by 2025, as well as the science-based target of achieving net-zero emissions across the full value chain by 2040.
Ørsted has developed various green fuel projects in the last two years, including three focused on generating e-methanol for maritime transport.
One of the projects, on the US Gulf Coast, will deliver 300,000 tonnes of e-methanol for AP Moller-Maersk’s fleet of zero-emissions vessels.
The Green Fuels for Denmark and FlagshipONE project, which is located in Sweden, will deliver around 50,000 tonnes of e-methanol for shipping between 2024 and 2025.
Ørsted offshore operations head Mark Porter said: “We’ve set clear targets and a clear direction towards net-zero emissions, and this new methanol-powered SOV is a tangible proof of our clear commitment to realise these targets.”
