North Star has officially named its first commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV), the Grampian Kestrel. The vessel was named at a ceremony at VARD’s shipyard in Tomrefjord, Norway, Vard Langsten on May 6.
This milestone event reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to the delivery of high-quality offshore support vessels for the renewables sector. The Grampian Kestrel is the first of two CSOVs to be delivered this year, as part of the firm’s drive to support its growing portfolio of offshore wind clients with cutting-edge tonnage and exceptional service.
The new vessel, of VARD 4 22 design, will go on service with EnBW and precede the decade-long minimum charter contract the firm signed in 2024 to provide a SOV (of VARD 407 design) for the German energy utility firm’s He Dreiht wind farm in the North Sea.
A high specification vessel, the Grampian Kestrel has the ability to support all aspects of the wind farm’s life cycle, offering essential accommodation and logistics to support construction and commissioning works. Following this, it will lead EnBW’s operations and maintenance activities until the newbuild SOV is delivered in Q3 2026.
The VARD 4 22 design, has been developed in close collaboration with Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway, with new methanol ready hybrid-propulsion solutions and an increased number of single cabins, providing hotel quality accommodation for the technicians working in field. It also includes a high-performance daughter craft with space for a second to suit the clients’ operational needs.
“The Grampian Kestrel marks yet another milestone in our strategy towards making North Star a leading SOV provider in Europe,” said Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO at North Star.
“The vessel is built to service all aspects of an offshore windfarms’ lifecycle and has a competent North Star crew to ensure we deliver our services to the highest standard.
"We are proud to christen this future-ready vessel, which sets a new industry benchmark by becoming the world’s first to achieve Lloyd’s Register’s Cyber Resilience classification. This certification underscores our commitment to being a safe and reliable partner - for our employees, our clients, and the broader offshore wind industry.”
James Bradford, chief technology officer at North Star explained: “As part of its digital capabilities, North Star has made a substantial investment in the advanced automation and innovative solutions utilized across its renewables fleet, essential for monitoring performance and ensuring safe vessel operations.
“These included technologies such as digital twins, dynamic positioning software and the complex control systems connected to the Voith Schneider propulsion units, all designed to support operational safety and enhance crew wellbeing.”
Ms. Gard Talmo added “This vessel and her world first accreditation were achieved in cooperation with VARD ship design. At North Star we know that industry collaboration is the key to success, and we truly look forward to delivering our services to our client, EnBW.”
