MTS delivers Sea Slice to Danish owners

The offshore vessel, Sea Slice, will be deployed in the Danish offshore wind sector. It has a specialist SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) design which compromises four small low-drag hulls placed in two linear pairs.

“European offshore wind continues to be a competitive market place, with a huge potential for innovation,” said Jon Parslow, managing director, MTS Group Ltd.

He added: “Delivering the Sea Slice in time for the next phase of European wind development, is another example of how we’re continuing to support this maturing industry.”

The Sea Slice is able to reduce its hydrodynamic drag as it moves through the water, this enables the vessel to travel at higher speeds for a given amount of engine power. It also reduces the efforts of vessel motion on crew and offshore personnel.

It was originally designed by Lockheed Martin and built in 1996 at a cost of approximately US$15m, it was sold to its new owners last year.

Kurt Thomsen, managing director of Advanced Offshore Solutions, said: “We’ve been pioneering different technologies for the offshore wind industry for almost two decades, and the Sea Slice is the latest example of this type of investment.”

After being shipped to Europe this year from the US, the Sea Slice was towed from Rotterdam to Denmark by a MTS Dutch-built 25 metre multi-purpose tug.

When deployed to the European offshore wind farms the Sea Slice will be used for many different tasks including dive operations, surveying and the transfer of crew and equipment.

By Alice Mason