NYK has ordered an offshore wind service vessel (SOV) from the PaxOcean group, which will be deployed in Taiwan and other Asia-Pacific markets starting in 2029. This vessel, measuring 89.6 meters in length, will provide accommodation and logistical support for personnel involved in the construction and maintenance of wind farms, capable of housing up to 120 people.
Design Details and Capabilities
The new NYK vessel has a width of 19.2 meters and a design depth of 5 meters. This vessel is designed to meet the growing regional needs for accommodation and marine maintenance capabilities during the construction and operational phases of wind farms. Additionally, this vessel will operate in collaboration with offshore wind specialists IOVTEC based in Taiwan and Hsin Chien Marine, which owns and manages the vessel.
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In 2025, NYK acquired a stake in IOVTEC to expand its activities in the Taiwanese offshore wind market. This SOV will be equipped with advanced technologies such as a dynamic positioning system, motion-compensating gangway, and motion-compensating crane to safely transfer technicians and equipment under marine conditions.
Increasing Operational Capacity in Asia-Pacific
This vessel also utilizes Ulstein's Twin X-Stern hull concept, which positions propulsion units at both ends of the vessel to enhance maneuverability and station-keeping capabilities during "walk-to-work" operations. This order helps expand NYK's offshore wind service activities beyond Europe, where the company's subsidiary Northern Offshore Group operates personnel transfer vessels and purchased the 81-meter Northern Ocean SOV in 2025. This vessel has the capacity to accommodate 60 people, which is half of the anticipated capacity for the new vessel in Asia-Pacific.
