UK Dudgeon Wind Farm O&M Vessel to Install WavePredictor Motion Radar

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 27, NextOcean secured a contract to supply the WavePredictor vessel motion prediction system for ESVAGT's service operations vessel ESVAGT NJORD. The equipment consists of a motion radar and accompanying software, scheduled for installation in August 2026, and will subsequently be used to support personnel transfer and vessel operation decisions during the operation and maintenance of the Dudgeon offshore wind farm in the UK.

WavePredictor provides real-time predictions of vessel motion for the coming minutes, offering data to duty officers when assessing whether personnel transfer can be safely executed under prevailing sea conditions. ESVAGT NJORD undertakes long-term O&M duties at the Dudgeon wind farm, with technicians primarily transferring between the vessel and turbines via the onboard Walk-to-Work gangway.

According to ESVAGT data, ESVAGT NJORD entered the fleet in 2016, featuring a Havyard 832 SOV design, with an overall length of 83.7 meters, a beam of 17.6 meters, a gross tonnage of 5,007 tonnes, and a service speed of no less than 14 knots. The vessel is equipped with dynamic positioning capability, active and passive motion compensation systems, a Walk-to-Work gangway, and personnel transfer boats, enabling the transport of technicians and spare parts.

The Dudgeon offshore wind farm, which the vessel currently serves, is located approximately 32 kilometers off the north Norfolk coast of the UK, with an installed capacity of 402 MW. It began generating power in 2017 and is operated by Equinor. ESVAGT NJORD is fitted with 58 cabins, accommodating crew and wind farm O&M personnel, and typically remains stationed at the wind farm for two consecutive weeks before returning to the Great Yarmouth O&M base for crew rotation and resupply.