US House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (LA-01) and US Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02) joined senior executives from American offshore wind leader Ørsted and Louisiana-based vessel builder Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) at events in Louisiana this weekend to celebrate the completion of the SOV, the ECO EDISON.
The ECO EDISON, officially christened Saturday at the Port of New Orleans by Jennifer Scalise, is the first US-flagged offshore wind SOV. An example of the major financial investments into US ports, maritime activities, manufacturing, workforce and domestic energy by Ørsted, the vessel will play an integral part of the operation and maintenance of Ørsted and Eversource’s South Fork Wind, Revolution Wind and Sunrise Wind projects.
Ørsted’s investment in the ECO EDISON is a testament to the company’s commitment to building a new domestic offshore energy supply chain. The ECO EDISON was built by more than 600 workers—across nearly one million work hours—at ECO in-house shipyards in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, with components of the vessel sourced from 34 states, from Alabama to West Virginia.
Ørsted’s projects are creating jobs and driving economic development across dozens of states, with the Gulf of Mexico region playing a central role. Several Gulf Coast companies are putting their vast experience from other ocean-based industries to work in this new energy sector, including companies like ECO, which has deep expertise in offshore energy.
The state-of-the-art, 262-foot long liveaboard ECO EDISON will serve as a floating, year-round homebase for 60 of the first American offshore wind turbine technicians, who will work at-sea over the life of the wind farms, servicing and maintaining the wind turbines.
The ECO EDISON will be powered by two Cat® 3512E engines from key supplier, Houston-based Caterpillar Marine, underscoring the vast opportunity offshore wind offers existing American manufacturers and shipyards.
The ECO EDISON’s special-purpose design is focused on passenger safety and comfort, enhanced maneuverability, extended offshore endurance and reduced emissions. It includes special features like a “walk to work” motion-compensated gangway that allows technicians to easily and safely access the wind turbines. A smaller, so-called “daughter” craft onboard can be deployed to efficiently maneuver crew across the wind farms.
