RWE Charters Low-Emission Service Vessels to Bolster North Sea Wind Farm Operations

(from left to right) Fraser Dobbie, CFO North Star – Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO North Star – Thomas Michel, COO RWE Offshore Wind

(IN BRIEF) RWE has entered a decade-plus charter agreement with North Star for two eco-friendly service operation vessels—Grampian Eagle (12-year term) and Grampian Kestrel (10-year term)—to support maintenance at its UK and German offshore wind farms. Windward Offshore will supply interim vessels until end-2026, and RWE has reserved two further newbuild SOVs from Vard Group for 2028–2029. These vessels, equipped with walk-to-work gangways and low-emission fuel capability, will enhance technician accommodation and access, underpinning RWE’s operational excellence as its offshore portfolio grows.

(PRESS RELEASE) ESSEN, 6-Aug-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — RWE has forged a long-term partnership with North Star—Britain’s largest shipowner-operator, backed by Partners Group—to secure essential vessel capacity amidst a constrained market. The agreement includes 10- and 12-year charters (with optional three-year extensions) for two next-generation service operation vessels (SOVs), the Grampian Eagle and Grampian Kestrel, both equipped to run on alternative low-emission fuels. North Star will deliver full marine services under the charters.

To bridge the gap until those vessels arrive, Windward Offshore will provide two state-of-the-art SOVs through the end of 2026. Looking further ahead, RWE and North Star have signed reservation agreements with Vard Group for two additional newbuild SOVs slated for delivery in 2028 and 2029, ensuring support for RWE’s expanding offshore wind portfolio.

Illustration newbuild Service Operation Vessel, © Vard Group

“These charters secure the advanced operational platforms we need to optimise performance across our existing assets and upcoming projects,” said Thomas Michel, COO of RWE Offshore Wind. “In a tight market, locking in these SOVs is a strategic milestone.”

The Grampian Eagle, chartered for at least 12 years, will serve the Triton Knoll wind farm off the UK coast, with its contract commencing summer 2026. The Grampian Kestrel, on a minimum 10-year term starting this winter, will maintain RWE’s German sites north of Heligoland. Both vessels feature walk-to-work gangways for safe turbine access in rough seas and accommodation for technicians, enabling multi-day stays onsite.

Gitte Gard Talmo, CEO of North Star, added: “This landmark deal marks the start of a strategic collaboration between two industry leaders. We’re honored by RWE’s trust as we deploy our expertise to deliver world-class SOV services.”

Media contact:

Sarah Knauber
Press Spokesperson
RWE Offshore Wind GmbH
M +49 162 25 444 89
E sarah.knauber@rwe.com

RWE
RWE is leading the way to a modern energy world. With its investment and growth strategy, RWE is contributing significantly to the success of the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the energy system. Around 20,000 employees work for the company in almost 30 countries worldwide. RWE is one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy. RWE is investing billions of euros in expanding its generation portfolio, in particular in offshore and onshore wind, solar energy and batteries. It is perfectly complemented by its global energy trading business. Thanks to its integrated portfolio of renewables, battery storage and flexible generation, as well as its broad project pipeline of possible new builds, RWE is well positioned to address the growing global demand for electricity, particularly driven by further electrification and artificial intelligence. RWE is decarbonising its business in line with the 1.5-degree reduction pathway and will phase out coal by 2030. RWE will be net zero by 2040. Fully in line with the company’s purpose – Our energy for a sustainable life.

North Star
North Star is the UK’s market-leading fully integrated shipowner-operator, delivering mission-critical offshore infrastructure support services across the offshore wind and oil and gas sectors. Headquartered in Aberdeen with operational bases in Lowestoft, Newcastle and Hamburg, the company employs around 1,400 offshore and onshore personnel. Established over 139 years ago to
support the fisheries industry, North Star has since built five decades of proven expertise in the energy sector. Today, it operates a fleet of 45 vessels, including 39 Emergency Response and Rescue Vessels (ERRVs) and Multi Role Vessels (MRV’s) that provide continuous support to approximately 50 North Sea installation around the clock, 365 days a year. In support of the energy transition, North Star has invested over half a billion pounds in offshore wind, delivering its first six Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), with two additional SOVs under construction to meet the increasing demands of Europe’s offshore wind market. As the UK’s largest employer of offshore cadets, North Star is committed to the future of maritime, investing around £1 million annually since 1996 to train the next generation of deck and engineering professionals. By combining safety, service, and quality, North Star delivers reliable, high-performance support in some of the world’s most challenging offshore environments.

Partners Group
Partners Group is one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, with around 1’800 professionals and over USD 174 billion in assets under management. The firm has investment programs and custom mandates spanning private equity, private credit, infrastructure, real estate, and royalties. With its heritage in Switzerland and its primary presence in the Americas in
Colorado, Partners Group is built differently from the rest of the industry. The firm leverages its differentiated culture and its operationally oriented approach to identify attractive investment themes and to build businesses and assets into market leaders. For more information, please visit www.partnersgroup.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

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SOURCE: RWE