Construction Begins on Chouest Vessel that Will Support Ørsted and Eversource Offshore Wind Farms

Service Operations Vessel “ECO EDISON” selects power and propulsion providers that will support manufacturing jobs across 12 states

Ørsted and Eversource along with Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) are pleased to announce that shipbuilding of the first Jones Act-qualified wind farm service operations vessel (SOV) in the United States has commenced.

The vessel, ECO EDISON, is being built at ECO in-house shipyards located in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, creating well over 300 new jobs, with components of the vessel being manufactured across 12 states including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

ECO EDISON will be delivered in 2024 and immediately provide operational support out of Port Jefferson, New York for Ørsted and Eversource’s joint venture offshore wind portfolio, which includes South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind. Once complete, South Fork Wind, Sunrise Wind and Revolution Wind will generate approximately 1.8 GW of offshore wind power, enough to power over a million homes.

The vessel, which will be over 260 feet long and capable of housing 60 crew members, will be utilized during the operation & maintenance (O&M) phases of the wind farm projects, serving as an at sea base of operations to accommodate and transfer technicians, tools and parts safely to and from the individual Wind Turbine Generators.

“This new vessel will be the first of its kind in the United States and play a crucial role in the growth of America’s offshore wind industry,” said David Hardy, Chief Executive Officer of Ørsted Offshore North America. “We’re proud to work with companies like Edison Chouest Offshore to support good-paying jobs in states across the country as we build a new energy future.”

“Today, the development of a new, clean energy future for the United States takes another important step forward as construction begins on the nation’s first Jones Act-qualified service and operations vessel,” said Joe Nolan, Chief Executive Officer and President of Eversource Energy. “Construction of this vessel will mean hundreds of new jobs for American workers as we continue to bring the benefits of offshore wind to communities around the country.”

With work beginning on the vessel, ECO has also announced the selection of Caterpillar Marine, GE Power Conversion and Voith Schneider as power and propulsion system providers for the ECO EDISON. The vessel will be powered by four Caterpillar 3512E EPA Tier 4 generator sets (gensets), each rated for 1700 ekW. The gensets are configured for variable speed operation, allowing for the highest levels of efficiency and minimized exhaust emissions. The GE Power Conversion electrical system can operate with gensets or stored energy.

The latest generation of Voith Schneider Propellers (VSPs), featuring integrated permanent magnet motors, are utilized for propulsion. These propellers have a rapid thrust and steering response, with minimal noise and vibration. The thrusters also feature roll reduction and sleep mode, maximizing station keeping, active motion compensated gangway workability and comfort. The vessel will also be equipped with extensive remote monitoring and support capability provided by Marine Technologies, another Louisiana-based company.

This full configuration results in a vessel that delivers high efficiency, low power consumption, minimum GHG emissions, maximum workability and the highest levels of comfort. The vessel is also being constructed to incorporate future zero-carbon emission technology to assist in reaching carbon neutral goals.

Through their joint venture projects, Ørsted and Eversource are supporting the development of a domestic offshore wind supply chain that will create jobs and economic development across dozens of states. By working with companies like Edison Chouest Offshore, which has deep expertise in offshore energy, Ørsted and Eversource are creating opportunities for American companies to help build the future of the US energy industry.

About Ørsted Offshore North America

The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Four years in a row, Ørsted earned recognition as the world’s most sustainable energy company by Corporate Knights, including for 2022. The company is a global clean energy leader and has the largest portfolio of offshore wind energy in the world. 

In the United States, Ørsted operates the Block Island Wind Farm, America’s first offshore wind farm, and constructed the two-turbine Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project – the first turbines to be installed in federal waters. Ørsted has approximately 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy in development in five states and across seven projects. Ørsted Offshore’s North American business is jointly headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island and employs approximately 250 people. To learn more visit us.orsted.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@OrstedUS).

About Eversource

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is the #1 energy company in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2021 and recognized as one of America’s Most JUST Companies. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas and supplies water to approximately 4.4 million customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 9,200 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles, and battery storage into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.

About Edison Chouest Offshore

 Founded as Edison Chouest Boat Rental in 1960, ECO is recognized today as the most diverse and dynamic marine transportation solution provider in the world. ECO operates a growing fleet of almost 300 vessels, up to 525 feet in length, and serving an expanding global customer base. ECO is the largest provider of U.S. ‘Jones Act’ compliant offshore marine vessels, the largest provider of offshore marine service vessels to Central and South American markets, has the largest base of shipyards in the U.S., owns and manages world-class port terminal facilities and operates worldwide on all oceans, including the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Staying on the forefront of new technologies is an integral part of the ECO vision, as evidenced by recent advances in the areas of emissions reductions, subsea support services, integrated bridge systems, remote monitoring of vessel systems and global communications. Please visit Edison Chouest Offshore’s website at www.chouest.com.