Furthering its support of the emerging offshore wind industry in the U.S., Green Shipping Line (GSL) has signed a teaming agreement with DEKC Maritime, a European marine vessel engineer, to pursue Jones Act-compliant offshore wind vessel solutions in the U.S.
GSL has been creating a viable solution for the U.S. offshore wind market for six years and has amassed a team of European and U.S. partners to assist the U.S. in realizing its offshore wind goals. This announcement follows a string of deals by GSL, including an agreement with Keystone Shipping Co. to operate future shuttle vessels in the U.S. offshore wind market and a teaming agreement with Moran Iron Works to construct future vessels.
“DEKC’s extensive knowledge and capabilities provide GSL with an ideal partner to design our fleet of modern Jones Act feeder vessels, including our flagship Eleanor model,” says Percy R. Pyne IV, founding partner of GSL. “This agreement furthers our ability to provide efficient, proven, green solutions for offshore wind developers and component manufacturers in the U.S.”
DEKC Maritime says it has designed a multi-purpose vessel known as the ‘swiss army knife’ vessel of the offshore wind industry in Europe for its versatility and durability. GSL’s multi-purpose cargo vessel – the Eleanor model – will complement DEKC’s trusted European offshore wind vessel, which is widely used today. With an approval in principle from the American Bureau of Shipping, GSL’s Eleanor model is highly efficient with the ability to transport offshore wind components (towers, nacelles and blades) from a port to installation sites in a two-day cycle, cutting down on costs and production time by over 40%. In fact, it will be the first vessel of its kind in the U.S. capable of transporting all of the components of a wind tower.
The 364-ft multipurpose vessel can also be configured to perform rock dumping, scour protection and offshore accommodation. Fully Jones Act-compliant, the Eleanor will be built in the U.S. at the Moran Iron Works Shipyard in Onaway, Mich., and operated by Keystone Shipping Co. It will be manned by a U.S. crew and can operate out of all the regional ports along the East Coast due to its unique dimensions and draft. The Eleanor model will be available for delivery as soon as mid-2023.
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