Austal bags fourth turbine transfer WFSV contract
The Austal Tri Swath 24
Building on its initial success in the renewable energy market, Austal has confirmed a contract for a fourth wind farm support vessel (WFSV) for Turbine Transfers Limited.
The order is the first for a new Austal design aimed at enabling safer and more efficient offshore wind turbine service.
Welcoming the follow-up order from the UK-based company, 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.
The new design combines the seakeeping and fuel efficiency benefits of Austal’s trimaran hull configuration with a small waterplane area at rest, to deliver low vessel motions both in transit and when alongside turbines. This enables wind farm personnel to be successfully transferred in considerably higher sea states than is practical with catamarans of a similar size. As well as minimising seasickness among personnel and providing safer transfer conditions, the new design’s enhanced seakeeping performance can improve the economics of offshore wind farms.
The new Turbine Transfers vessel is designed to operate in ocean areas of all European countries, including in the demanding conditions of the North, Irish and Baltic Seas. It is designed to operate in up to 3.0 metres significant wave height. The 27.4 metre long, 10.5 metre wide vessel will be operated by three crew and be able to transfer 12 wind farm technicians, their effects and over four tonnes of deck cargo, stores and miscellaneous equipment.
Two 900kW MTU diesels coupled to water jets will provide a service speed of 23 knots, with the directional thrust of the water jets being supplemented by a bow thruster for low speed manoeuvring and station keeping. With an operating range in excess of 360 nautical miles, the vessel will be able to operate up to 75 nautical miles offshore, well beyond the distances of current wind farms.
The vessel will initially be chartered to Turbine Transfers for a period of up to five years. It is scheduled for completion in November.
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