Jones Act-compliant offshore wind service operation vessel planned
Louisiana-based Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) announces a long-term charter agreement Ørsted and Eversource to develop the first Jones Act compliant wind farm service operation vessel in the United States.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas Correspondent
ECO, Ørsted, and Eversource are to engage in a long-term charter agreement for the development of a first-of-its-kind US-flagged, Jones Act compliant service operations vessel (SOV) for wind farm energy operations, notes a statement from the companies.
The SOV will be engineered, constructed, and operated by ECO, while additionally following the standards of the American Bureau of Shipping — a recognized statutory organization for several national governments to conduct certifications and compliance services.
According to press statements, the companies will also work to obtain the necessary federal permits from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, under the Department of Interior.
“We are unique in the U.S. offshore marine vessel industry with our own in-house design and engineering group, our own shipyards, and a wealth of expertise in the offshore industry,” said Gary Chouest, the president, and chief executive of ECO.
“This puts us in an industry-leading position as the only U.S. company capable of fully engineering, constructing, and operating specialized vessels for this market,” he adds.
