Marco Polo Marine CSOV; Image source: SMST (2023)
The CSOV, the first vessel of this type that will be owned and operated by Marco Polo, is currently under construction at Marco Polo Shipyard in Batam, Indonesia, and is scheduled for delivery in September this year. The vessel will be deployed in Taiwan for a Vestas project in early October 2024, the company said on 17 April.
Vestas and Marco Polo Marine signed a framework agreement for the vessel in November 2023. The agreement finalised the previous Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Marco Polo Marine’s Taiwan-based subsidiary PKR Offshore and Vestas Taiwan for the maiden deployment of the new CSOV on offshore wind projects in the Asia Pacific region.
Under the agreement with Vestas, the vessel will be deployed across various offshore wind farms in the Asia Pacific region over three years.
Marco Polo Marine said its Taiwanese subsidiary PKR Offshore secured a project finance loan from Bank SinoPac Taiwan on 15 April for the CSOV project.
“Securing the project finance loan from Bank SinoPac also marks a milestone for us in our journey to build, own, and operate a fleet of highly specialised wind vessels that deliver unparalleled performance, quality, and reliability for our valued clients. This strategic financing, coupled with the scheduled delivery of our new CSOV, empowers us to forge ahead with our ambitious growth plans, cementing our position as a frontrunner in the region’s rapidly developing offshore wind energy landscape,” said Sean Lee, CEO of Marco Polo Marine.
The 83-metre-long vessel will be equipped with a walk-to-work gangway and a 3D motion-compensated crane, and will be able to accommodate up to 110 persons.
The new vessel, which Marco Polo Marine says will be the first CSOV to be designed in Asia, will also feature hybrid-based energy storage systems that will reduce carbon emissions by up to 20 per cent, according to the company.
