Purus, a leader in offshore wind support services, has officially named its new commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) Purus Chinook during a ceremony in London. The VARD 4 19 design vessel is the first of two purpose-built CSOVs that will enhance the company’s capabilities in supporting the rapidly growing offshore wind sector.
Attended by stakeholders including representatives from Vard, Vestas, and DNV, along with government MPs and industry partners, the ceremony marked a key milestone for Purus as it expands its support for the offshore wind industry and the wider clean energy transition. At the event, DNV formally presented plaques for Purus Chinook’s Cyber Secure Essential and COMF-V1 notations – both significant achievements that set the vessel apart in terms of digital resilience and onboard crew comfort.
The commissioning service operation vessel is now preparing to commence a multi-year contract with Vestas, supporting offshore wind farm operations across multiple European sites, beginning with an initial deployment in the UK.
Assembled at Vard Søviknes shipyard in Norway, Purus Chinook has been designed with futureproofing capabilities especially by combining pioneering environmental technologies with crew-first design. The battery-hybrid CSOV is methanol-ready and equipped with a fully electric SEAONICS walk-to-work gangway, offering a quiet, zero-emissions personnel transfer capability. Its hybrid propulsion system enables flexible, energy-efficient operations, while onboard tanks are prepped for future use of low-emission methanol fuel.
Measuring 87.7 metres, Purus Chinook can accommodate up to 120 people in DNV COMF-V1-certified living quarters that offer hotel-standard accommodation, recreational and fitness facilities, and integrated workspaces to support wellbeing on extended offshore rotations.
Purpose-built for offshore environments, the vessel is equipped with a SEAONICS 3D motion-compensated crane, an 18-metre helideck, and a next-generation Chartwell daughter craft built in the UK by Diverse Marine, enabling high performance and safe personnel transfers even in challenging marine environments. Its optimised hull form and advanced dynamic positioning system further enhance operational safety, efficiency, and resilience. It is also among the first vessels of its kind to carry DNV’s Cyber Secure Essential notation, protecting critical onboard digital infrastructure.
As demand for offshore wind increases, vessels like Purus Chinook are critical to supporting the environmental performance, reliability and safety of renewable energy supply chains. With onboard systems designed to reduce emissions, increase uptime, and support technician comfort, the vessel reflects a new generation of maritime support vessels that balance performance with sustainability.
Purus is committed to enabling the decarbonisation of offshore operations through low-emission fleet expansion, with Purus Coriolis, the sister vessel to Purus Chinook, expected for delivery in 2026. These vessels represent a key part of Purus’s broader mission to deliver zero-emission maritime transportation across the global wind and gas sectors by 2030.
