Cochin Shipyard Limited's (CSL) keel-laying ceremony on Wednesday flags off the construction process of a state-of-the-art hybrid-electric Service Operation Vessel (SOV) for UK-based North Star Shipping (Aberdeen) Limited, the shipbuilder said in a statement.
This is the second SOV in a two-vessel series commissioned for North Star, and follows the vessel's steel cutting ceremony in Kochi six months ago, attended by North Star CTO James Bradford.
The Steel Cutting Ceremony of the Service Operation Vessel (SOV) for M/s North Star Shipping Ltd.,UK, was held on 14 May 25 at CSL. The steel cutting was initiated by Mr James Bradford, CTO, North Star. This event signals the start of construction of a vessel that embodies… pic.twitter.com/Xb7G6klZs8
— Cochin Shipyard Limited (@cslcochin) May 15, 2025
North Star's collaboration with Cochin Shipyard signifies a major step in the offshore renewable energy sector.
The keel-laying ceremony was carried out by Michael Reid, Head of Special Projects at North Star Shipping, in the presence of senior officials from CSL and representatives from the UK-based offshore service vessel operator.
Designed in partnership with Norway-based Vard AS, the new hybrid-electric SOV is 85m long, and reportedly costs Rs 500 crore each.
Equipped with a hybrid-electric system (powered by both lithium-ion batteries and a DC-based power system), the new SOV also boasts an electric Azimuth propulsion for enhanced manoeuvrability, a capacity of 80 crew members, and modern walk-to-work systems that ensure efficient personnel transfers in offshore environments.
Once delivered, the Vard 4 19 SOV will support a wide range of functions—including maintenance, logistical support, and accommodation—for North Star's offshore wind farms, which, in turn, would help make their marine operations safer and more efficient.
The previous vessel—the Vard 4 07 SOV—in the series measures 68m in length and has a crew capacity of 54 members, but still boasts the hybrid-electric system and the DP2 Class Dynamic positioning system present in its newer sibling vessel.
The two vessels are also said to be compliant with Det Norske Veritas (DNV) standards.
