Stillstrom by Maersk has completed the build and factory acceptance testing of its Vessel Container Unit (VCU), a system designed to let a service operation vessel (SOV) charge its batteries directly from an offshore wind farm. DNV witnessed the testing, the company said.
The containerised unit houses an 11 kV connector package. Its modular construction allows a bow, stern or under-deck connection, and it can be fitted to newbuild or retrofitted vessels and moved between ships where onboard cabling permits. Once connected, an integrated funnel lets the vessel charge at an optimum heading, leaving the dynamic positioning operator in control of charging and disconnection.
Graeme Wood, Stillstrom UK managing director, said the connector package represents several years of development and testing, and that the control system and safety interlocks reduce risk for vessel owners and wind farm operators. Work on the wind farm topsides interface is continuing, and the full end-to-end system is expected to be ready by the middle of next year.
Stillstrom expects the complete charging system to be ready for extended offshore trials by summer 2027. Lessons from the prototype are already shaping a Mark 2 design that would move the current semi-automatic alignment towards full automation.
Stillstrom was founded in 2019 as a Maersk innovation project and became an independent company in 2022. It employs more than 30 people in Copenhagen and Aberdeen and focuses on the UK and European offshore wind markets.
