Belgian Parkwind launches world’s first offshore ship-charging station

Parkwind, a Belgian offshore wind energy company, has installed the first electric ship-charging station at sea. The station runs on wind power and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maintenance and transport vessels.

The charging system was installed in Parkwind’s third offshore wind energy project, Nobelwind, which is 29 miles (47 kilometers) offshore in the Belgian North Sea. The facility has 50 installed turbines spread across 19.8 km2 and provides electricity to about 190,000 homes.

Charging at sea

Parkwind’s innovative system allows vessels to use locally generated green energy directly. The firm claims the method enables ships to connect to the charging line and remain stationary while charging despite sea currents.

“By utilizing locally sourced renewable electricity, we are further supporting our mission to generate clean energy while diligently minimizing our environmental footprint,” the company says.

Single-point mooring

The company did extensive testing regarding the system’s operational effectiveness and claims that it offers significant advantages. The system provides a simple, fast, and safe hands-free connection and disconnection process, eliminating the need for manual handling. The free-floating structure also offers effective tension control, catenary management, and single-point mooring.

Parkwind claims the system also follows the vessel’s movements, providing reliable overload protection and automatic and manual emergency release. It can recover and reconnect without damaging the connector or requiring cleaning, drying, or overhauling.

Reducing emissions

The system is designed to support Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) charging up to 2 MW and Service Operation Vessel (SOV) charging up to 8 MW. It can also supply offshore power to conventional vessels on standby, significantly reducing their emissions from diesel generators.

By keeping all sensitive equipment out of the splash zone or dynamic environment, the system ensures that all components remain easily accessible for maintenance. Additionally, the absence of specialist handling vessels for maintenance further enhances its practicality and efficiency.