North Star marks delivery of first CSOV, the Grampian Kestrel, with naming ceremony in Norway
North Star has officially named its first commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV), the Grampian Kestrel. The vessel was named at a ceremony at VARD’s shipyard in Tomrefjord, Norway, Vard Langsten on Tuesday 6 May.
This milestone event reflects the organisation’s ongoing commitment to the delivery of high-quality offshore support vessels for the renewables sector. The Grampian Kestrel is the first of two CSOVs to be delivered this year, as part of the firm’s drive to support its growing portfolio of offshore wind clients with cutting-edge tonnage and exceptional service.
The new vessel, of VARD 4 22 design, will go on service with EnBW and precede the decade-long minimum charter contract the firm signed in 2024 to provide a SOV (of VARD 407 design) for the German energy utility firm’s He Dreiht wind farm in the North Sea.
A high specification vessel, the Grampian Kestrel has the ability to support all aspects of the wind farm’s life cycle, offering essential accommodation and logistics to support construction and commissioning works. Following this, it will lead EnBW’s operations and maintenance activities until the newbuild SOV is delivered in Q3 2026.
The VARD 4 22 design, has been developed in close collaboration with Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway, with new methanol ready hybrid-propulsion solutions and an increased number of single cabins, providing hotel quality accommodation for the technicians working in field. It also includes a high-performance daughter craft with space for a second to suit the clients’ operational needs.
'The Grampian Kestrel marks yet another milestone in our strategy towards making North Star a leading SOV provider in Europe,' said Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO at North Star.
'The vessel is built to service all aspects of an offshore windfarms’ lifecycle and has a competent North Star crew to ensure we deliver our services to the highest standard.
'We are proud to christen this future-ready vessel, which sets a new industry benchmark by becoming the world’s first to achieve Lloyd’s Register’s Cyber Resilience classification. This certification underscores our commitment to being a safe and reliable partner — for our employees, our clients, and the broader offshore wind industry.'
James Bradford, chief technology officer at North Star explained: 'As part of its digital capabilities, North Star has made a substantial investment in the advanced automation and innovative solutions utilised across its renewables fleet, essential for monitoring performance and ensuring safe vessel operations.
'This included technologies such as digital twins, dynamic positioning software and the complex control systems connected to the Voith Schneider propulsion units, all designed to support operational safety and enhance crew wellbeing.'
Ms Gard Talmo added 'This vessel and her world first accreditation were achieved in cooperation with VARD ship design. At North Star we know that industry collaboration is the key to success, and we truly look forward to delivering our services to our client, EnBW.'
Over the past three years, North Star has invested £270m in its commitment to build 40 offshore wind vessels by 2040. North Star’s offshore wind fleet now comprises eight vessels, including both delivered and in-build assets. The shipping firm has also placed 160 experienced seafarers to support its SOV fleet and will recruit a further 160 seafarers in the next three years to meet current contract charter commitments.
The Grampian Kestrel’s naming ceremony was attended by representatives from North Star, VARD, EnBW and other key stakeholders and was a celebration of the successful partnership between all parties involved and a recognition of the hard work that went into bringing the asset to life.
During the event, the godmother for the vessel was announced as Indu Vaidya, a board member at North Star and a Member of Management at Partners Group, one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, acting on behalf of its clients. Investment from Partners Group has played a key role in North Star’s growth, with the firm implementing a transformational value creation plan to expand North Star's platform in Europe, grow its offshore wind fleet, and broaden its offering in renewables. Indu played a key role in the naming ceremony which also featured a local blessing.
VARD CEO, Cathrine K. Marti, added: 'On behalf of everyone at VARD, I would like to congratulate North Star on their new cutting-edge vessel. Grampian Kestrel is a purpose-built CSOV, designed by North Star to meet North Star’s specific strategy and the demands of the offshore wind market.
'She is built for efficiency, comfort, and flexibility — and she is future-ready from day one.
'With key contributions from Vard Electro and Vard Interiors, this vessel reflects the strength of our integrated approach and our long-standing partnership with North Star. Congratulations once again. We wish Grampian Kestrel and her crew fair winds and following seas.'
Source: North Star
