Boat builder Austal has confirmed a contract for a fourth wind farm support vessel for UK company Turbine Transfers for GBP 4 million.
The order is the first for a new Austal design which will enable safer and more efficient offshore wind turbine service.
Austal chief executive officer, Andrew Bellamy, said the shipbuilder had continued to refine and enhance its Wind Express vessel range following its launch in mid-2010 as part of a strategy to pursue new commercial vessel markets.
“There is an increasing desire in the industry for vessels with enhanced capability, particularly in terms of performance in rough conditions,” Mr Bellamy said.
Our unique trimaran technology allows us to further develop and prove a new hullform that provides a step change in capability for the offshore industry.
The new design enables wind farm personnel to be successfully transferred in considerably higher sea states than is practical with catamarans of similar size.
This new hullform provides the highest possible levels of seakeeping, passenger comfort and fuel efficiency,” Mr Bellamy said.
“Being able to operate in a broader spectrum of sea conditions increases overall operability which means there is the potential to reduce the number of vessels and personnel required to support a given site; reducing capital and operating costs without sacrificing power generation reliability”, Mr Bellamy explained.
The order is part of Turbine Transfer’s ongoing fleet expansion plans which already includes three 21 metre catamarans ordered from Austal in July 2011. Construction of those vessels is progressing well, with delivery scheduled for May this year.
