OS Energy equips new offshore vessels with Sonardyne SPRINT-Nav DP systems
Offshore service provider OS Energy has adopted Sonardyne’s SPRINT-Nav DP high-grade dynamic positioning (DP) reference system to support its marine renewable energy projects in the North and Baltic Seas.
Germany-based OS Energy is a specialized offshore service provider with more than 15 years' experience in offshore wind, offering vessel management, survey, inspection and environmental monitoring. The company is currently building a new generation of offshore survey and service vessels (OSSVs), designed specifically for working within wind farms in the North and Baltic Seas.
The innovative DP2 OSSV design integrates a hybrid powertrain and distribution system capable of operating on zero-emission alternative fuels. OS Energy has confirmed three vessels with options for a further three. The first is being built at the Danish Esbjerg Shipyard, with delivery expected in 2026.
SPRINT-Nav DP units will be deployed on these vessels to ensure DP integrity in the shallow water and GNSS-compromised environments that are increasingly characteristic of offshore wind construction and maintenance activities.
Seabed-referenced positioning
Housed within a single, pre-calibrated unit, the easy-to-integrate system allows operators to ride out GNSS disruption, maintaining safety, accuracy and DP certification. It does this thanks to its integrated high-grade inertial navigation and Doppler velocity log (DVL) technology, which enables accurate seabed-referenced positioning even when other position reference systems (PRSs) fail.
OS Energy’s managing director Vincent Nürnberg stated: “The technical capability provided by SPRINT-Nav DP aligns directly with our mandate to deliver secure and efficient marine operations for offshore wind. As projects grow in technical complexity and regulatory scrutiny, reliable DP systems underpin safe and repeatable outcomes in the field.”
Duncan Rigg, business development manager, vessel systems at Sonardyne, added: “We're seeing operators experiencing persistent challenges around position reference system availability and GNSS signal interference, especially near turbine arrays and marine infrastructure. By ensuring uninterrupted DP operations, using SPRINT-Nav DP, our customers can stay on-task, maintain compliance with industry standards and, ultimately, enhance project delivery.”
