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Bibby Marine has launched its first-of-a-kind electric commissioning service operation vessel, named Staffordshire, at Armon Shipyard in Vigo, Spain, marking a major milestone for sustainable offshore wind operations.
The vessel entered the water during a ceremony attended by members of the Bibby family, senior Bibby Line Group representatives, and project partners, with Alice Bibby cutting the ceremonial rope. Staffordshire is the fifth vessel in company history to bear the name, following previous ships that entered service in 1894, 1929, 1950, and 1977.
Jonathan Lewis, Group CEO at Bibby Line Group, commented, “The launch of Staffordshire is a proud moment for Bibby Marine and for everyone who has helped bring this vessel to life. This is not just another vessel entering the water; it is a game-changing step towards cleaner, smarter and more efficient offshore operations. It shows what can be achieved when vision is matched by delivery – bringing together new technology, maritime expertise and a team committed to making change happen.
“I am hugely grateful to colleagues across Bibby Marine, Armon and all our project partners. They should feel real pride in what they have built, and in the impact Staffordshire can have for our customers, our industry and the future of offshore wind.”
Engineered to support offshore wind operations with enhanced capability, efficiency, and crew comfort, the vessel departs from standard sector practice through a dedicated battery-first propulsion design. Rather than utilizing energy storage as a supplementary hybrid-assist system, the architecture relies on the battery bank as its primary power source. Bibby Marine partnered with Kongsberg and Corvus Energy on the vessel’s propulsion and battery systems, while working with Stillstrom to establish compatibility for offshore charging.
Bibby Marine estimates that the battery-first system can cut vessel operating costs by more than 40% in self-charging mode, rising to approximately 70% once the vessel is able to operate solely on offshore charging. Supported by £20 million in funding from Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI), the build forms part of an industry-wide transition to decarbonise offshore wind support fleets in response to expanding global offshore wind capacity.
Nigel Quinn, CEO at Bibby Marine, added, “Seeing the vessel in the water is a landmark moment for everyone involved in the project. Bibby has moved with every energy transition since 1807, from wind to steam, coal to oil, and now to battery power, putting the most advanced propulsion available to work, not just the most familiar. It’s exactly what the offshore wind sector needs from its support fleet next.”
Over the coming months, Staffordshire will remain at Armon Shipyard for fitting out, including the installation of its battery systems, ahead of delivery and a formal naming ceremony scheduled for next year.
