Ocean Breeze Energy will replace MV Siem Marlin, the vessel currently in service at the BARD Offshore 1 wind farm, with MV Siddis Mariner in the first quarter of 2017, according to Siem Offshore Contractors (SOC), the owner of the two vessels.
SOC signed a walk-to-work vessel charter agreement with Ocean Breeze Energy in March 2016, with the contract involving the deployment of MV Siddis Mariner in W2W mode after MV Siem Marlin completes its service at the German offshore wind farm.
The firm charter period is 700 days, with options to extend the charter period by up to three additional years.
The charter follows the previous assignment of the MV Siem Emerald and MV Siem Moxie during the past year, whereby both vessels also served as dedicated W2W SOVs at BARD Offshore 1.
BARD Offshore 1 is located 100 kilometers northwest of Borkum and comprises 80 BARD 5.0 MW wind turbines with a total capacity of 400 MW. The wind turbines are installed at water depths of up to 40 metres.
Ocean Breeze Energy is the owner and operator of the wind farm. Ocean Breeze is in turn 100% indirectly held by UniCredit Bank AG, Munich.