Sri Lankan Yard to Build Two Wind Farm Service Vessels for Edda Wind

The pure-play CSOV operator Edda Wind has ordered another three vessels to add to its existing six-ship orderbook. Two of the new vessels will be built by the Sri Lankan shipbuilder Colombo Dockyard, the country's oldest and largest shipyard, and the third will be built by Spain's Gondan Shipyard.

Colombo Dockyard is a division of Japan's Onomichi Dockyard, and its past special-purpose vessel deliveries include a cable layer - KDDI Cable Infinity - along with a range of patrol ships, AHTS, PSVs, MPSVs and passenger vessels. Its management is a joint Japanese/Sri Lankan team. 

“Ordering another three purpose-built CSOVs will further strengthen Edda Wind’s leading position within offshore wind. By building a series of vessels like this, and with the experience and knowledge we have from the vessels currently under constructions, we are able to acquire these vessels at competitive prices. Tremendous growth is expected in the offshore wind market over the next decades, and the move is a clear signal on Edda Wind’s ambition to be a world-leading provider in this segment,” said Kenneth Walland, CEO of Edda Wind.

The three vessels will be prepared for later installation of zero-emission propulsion, similar to the company's first six orders, with funding from Norwegian innovation agency Enova.  

Including the three latest newbuildings, the company will have a fleet of eleven purpose-built walk to work wind farm maintenance vessels. Six are already chartered out on mid- to long term contracts with blue-chip clients, including Ørsted, Vestas, Ocean Breeze, SSE and SiemensGamesa. 

Edda Wind has come a long way since it was founded as a side venture of offshore vessel operator Østensjø in 2015. In 2020, it welcomed Wilhelmsen on board as joint owner, and last year it listed on the Oslo Stock exchange in an oversubscribed IPO. The listing raising about $100 million in new capital to expand its fleet and operations. “This latest investment delivers on the growth strategy, capitalizing on the position Edda Wind has built with clients, yards and other stakeholders and further strengthening our position as the leading pure-play offshore wind vessel provider," says Walland.