Bibby goes shopping in Spain for first electric CSOV

The eCSOV, designed together with Longitude, a UK-based ship designer, will have a powerful battery system supported by dual-fuel methanol engines for zero-emission operation. The vessel will be capable of working solely on battery power for more than 16 hours between charging cycles and a high-voltage offshore charging system will facilitate rapid recharging.

Bibby said in a statement that the vessel will have industry leading mission equipment, a spacious insulated warehouse and climate-controlled electrical store. It will have ‘top-tier accommodation’ for ship’s crew.

Nigel Quinn, Bibby Marine CEO, commented: “Gondán’s 100-year experience of building ships and more recent experience of building ships to suit a low/no carbon future aligns closely with our own history and vision, which meant it stood out as a yard to help us deliver our eCSOV. As a UK-owned company, we are pleased this vessel will be the first UK designed SOV and a UK-flagged vessel.

“The delivery of this vessel has the potential to be a game changer for our industry by accelerating our path to net-zero, as well as showcasing marine innovation at its finest,” he added. “This project will demonstrate that clean ships can be built at the same total cost of ownership as a conventional fossil-burning vessel, coupled with significantly reduced operating costs.”

Related:China Merchants Industry wins CSOV order from Integrated Wind Solutions

The project is part of the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) scheme, funded by the UK Department of Transport and delivered by Innovate UK. Zevi is part of the Department’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions programme, a £206m programme focused on developing technologies to decarbonise the UK’s domestic shipping sector.

The UK lies second in the global league table of offshore wind production, having been overtaken by China in 2021.