Renewables shipping operator North Star has teamed up with Maersk Group spin-off Stillstrom to speed up adoption of offshore charging technology.
The UK firm, which has a base at the Port of Tyne servicing the enormous Dogger Bank wind farm, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Danish firm that will also see it accelerate electrification technologies for service operation vessels in the offshore wind sector. The partnership will see Stillstrom demonstrate its charging buoy concept that provides the power needed by idle and anchored vessels.
Energy directly from the wind turbines is fed to a floating station that can recharge battery systems within the ships so that engines can be turned off in the field. North Star’s experience as an operator will be used to provide Stillstrom with insights into how the technology can be integrated, with both firms saying the work is in support of the offshore industry’s transition towards cleaner and more sustainable operations.
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Kristian Borum Jørgensen, CEO of Stillstrom, said: “We are excited to partner with North Star on this important initiative. By working collaboratively, we aim to demonstrate that by combining the latest advancements within offshore charging solutions and vessel electrification technologies for SOVs we are able to significantly decarbonize offshore wind operations while also delivering a compelling business case.”
Matthew Gordon, CEO of North Star, said: “Working in concert with Stillstrom aligns with our commitment to minimizing the environmental impact of our operations. We look forward to working closely to explore and to implement advanced charging and electrification solutions that optimize our vessel performance while significantly reducing our carbon footprint.”
Stillstrom, which means “quiet power” in Danish and was launched in 2022, says its equipment can act as a charging point to hybrid and/or electric vessels, or as a “green parking lot” for the thousands of vessels idling outside of ports on any given day. The technology was first tested by wind farm developer Ørsted.
Earlier this summer, North Star blessed the first of its new offshore wind fleet, the Grampian Tyne, at an event held at the Dogger Bank O&M base in Port of Tyne. The ship is one of several that will support energy firms SSE Renewables and Equinor with their work at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm – the world’s largest offshore wind farm.
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