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Seawork Success Secures Second Production Line
01 Aug 2007
One of the significant boatbuild transactions taking place at Seawork 2007 saw South Boats Special Projects Limited sign a £2.2m contract with MPI Offshore Ltd for two new designs of wind farm service vessels which will enter service next year. Both new designs will be tank tested prior to final design.
The first new vessel will be a South Catamaran 47/15m H.S. Alloy Wind Farm Service Vessel whilst the second is a South Catamaran 64/20m version of the deign. The H.S. refers to High Speed, as a fully planning hull ensures performance in excess of 25 knots. The contract contains options for additional vessels.
At the Seawork signing ceremony, South Boats’ Ben Coleman said, ‘This contract marks a milestone for the company’s future and enables the company to create a second production line for larger aluminium vessels in addition to the smaller catamarans. The company looks forward to working with MPI during the construction of these vessels and to growing the relationship in the future.’
His counterpart at MPI, Peter Blott added, ‘MPI are delighted to award this contract to South Boats and look forward to a long term relationship in the development and construction of offshore wind farm support vessels. This step marks the first stage in the implementation of the group strategy to offer a full service solution for vessel support to developers and operators of offshore wind farms.’
MPI Offshore is an associate company of the Netherlands based Vroon Shipping Group and already operates the world’s largest jack-up vessel ‘MV Resolution’. That $100m vessel represents by far the largest investment to date in offshore wind farm installation technology.
The new South Catamaran 47/15m design creates a multi-role vessel capable of carrying personnel to offshore wind farms at high cruising speeds but can also support MV Resolution as a site survey vessel that can be lifted onto the deck of the larger vessel and transported worldwide.
The vessel features an extensive range of deck equipment, including a forward mounted Spencer Carter hydraulic capstan, an aft mounted Palfinger PK4501M fully folding knuckle boom crane, an aft deck moonpool and mounting points for an aft ‘A’ frame. Propulsion will be provided by twin Scania DI16 43M 748bhp marine diesels close coupled to Twin Disc Quickshift MGX5135SC gearboxes driving Ultra Dynamics UJ451 waterjets. The Vroon liveried vessel will be delivered after Seawork 2008.
The new South Catamaran 64/20m has been designed to meet the requirements of Round 2 offshore wind farms, where transfers will be carried out in up to 3m significant wave height. Again designed or high speed cruising, the vessel will transfer personnel and loiter all day on site with full SAR capability.
This larger vessel will be powered by twin MAN D2848 LE410 EDC 1,100bhp diesels coupled to Twin Disc Quickshift MGX5147SC gearboxes driving Ultra Dynamics UJ575 waterjets. Delivery is scheduled for October of next year.
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