‘Every operation makes us better’

With six SOVs and three newbuildings on the way, ESVAGT is the market leader when it comes to the SOV concept. Experience and competences are in high demand.

ESVAGT started developing the ground-breaking Service Operation Vessel (SOV) concept back in 2010 and after a few years, the concrete result was completely in place.

Since then, the SOV concept has set the level for cost-effective and safe operation of offshore wind parks and cemented the shipping company as the absolute market leader.

‘The SOV concept was innovative and ingenious when we launched it, and it hit a need the operators and wind farm owners had’, says Thomas Fauerby, Head of Business Development at ESVAGT:

‘Since then, we have developed and enhanced the concept considerably together with our clients. We have taken advantage of our head start to build up a certain competence and professional knowledge in this area, enabling ESVAGT to become the most experienced and most innovative operator in this respect’.

6,000 transfers yearly

ESVAGT has a clear ambition to maintain its position. With six SOVs in the fleet and three newbuildings on the way, the shipping company has more SOVs than any other operator, and ESVAGT has significant experience within all aspects of servicing offshore wind farms.

‘On an annual basis, we complete more than 6,000 transfers with gangway systems; since 2018, we have had 7,500 operations with our Safe Transfer Boats (STB), which are an integrated part of our SOVs, and since 2015, we have carried out more than 8,000 crane operations to offshore wind turbines’, says Thomas Fauerby.

Every operation makes us better. We have built up an operational experience and competence that are of great value. Currently, more than 150 ESVAGT seamen work daily in offshore wind farms, and a third of our Officers have more than three years’ experience within SOV operation. It is a clear advantage, and it means that we have a competent and experienced pool of talent we can draw on when we are assembling a crew for a new offshore wind vessel’, he says.

This is in high demand in the market.

‘It is reassuring for clients that we can initiate an operation in an offshore wind farm with a new vessel – and at the same time deliver a seasoned, experienced crew, which can perform from day one. Regardless of whether the service contract is of short duration or spans over several years, the shortest learning curve possible gives a definite advantage on both the operation’s efficiency and safety’, says Thomas Fauerby.