American energy company Dominion Energy has successfully launched Charybdis, the United States’ first Jones Act-compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel, as part of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.
The 472-foot vessel was put to sea after completion of the welding of the ship’s hull, and commissioning of the vessel’s four legs and related jacking system.
Designed to handle turbine sizes of 12 megawatts or larger, the vessel sports a hull and infrastructure fabricated with more than 14,000 tons of domestic steel.
The vessel launch marked a historical achievement as the world’s largest completed lift totaling 23,000 tons, with nearly 10,000 tons of the weight consisting of domestic steel sourced from Alabama, West Virginia and North Carolina suppliers.
Construction is taking place at the Brownsville, Texas shipyard of global marine and offshore engineering group Seatrium, using domestically-sourced steel. At peak construction, over 1,200 workers were employed on this project. Once complete, the home port for the vessel will be in Hampton Roads, one of the United States’ most notable offshore wind installation harbors, and will utilize an American crew.
Dominion Energy also revealed that the CVOW project received a final construction air permit from the Environmental Protection Agency. This is the 11th and final federal permit required to begin offshore construction. Offshore monopile installation begins in May.
Bob Blue, Dominion Energy’s chair, president and chief executive officer, stated; “Charybdis is vital not only to CVOW, but also to the growth of the offshore wind industry along the U.S. East Coast and is key to the continued development of a domestic supply chain by providing a homegrown solution for the installation of offshore wind turbines.”
Mr. Chris Ong, Seatrium’s chief executive officer, added; “Seatrium’s AmFELS shipyard has partnered with Dominion Energy in this ground-breaking project to supply the first U.S. Jones Act-compliant WTIV, Charybdis, playing a critical role in the country’s energy transition. The U.S.-built vessel will not only contribute towards reliable, affordable and clean energy, but also benefit local communities in creating a significant local know-how and job opportunities, paving the way for future growth in the U.S. offshore wind industry.”
