Bibby Marine Services has assigned a contract with Dutch shipbuilder Damen for a purpose-built service operations vessel (SOV) to serve the offshore wind market.
The new Bibby WaveMaster 1 is being built at Damen’s Shipyards Galati in Romania and is expected to launch in mid-2017.
Stephen Blaikie, chief executive officer at Bibby Marine Services, said: “Bibby WaveMaster 1 is a custom-designed 90m LOA (Length Overall) SOV, with walk to work access and 60 high quality accommodation berths.”
“The aim is to enable offshore wind operators to work more efficiently, more safely and in maximum comfort, for periods of up to 30 days at a time,” he continued.
Bibby WaveMaster 1 will undertake offshore wind project work in the North Sea. It is the first vessel purpose-built for the transfer and accommodation of offshore personnel and aims to maximise working time and staff retention.
The design aims to achieve fast, safe and comfortable access to turbines, up to 80% of the time, including in worst case scenario Central North Sea conditions.
Peter Robert, business development manager, said: “This is much more than just a vessel – it is a total access and accommodation solution. The development of this vessel has started with a blank sheet of paper, as opposed to being an evolved version of an existing design.”
“It has been tailored specifically to the needs of the offshore wind industry. This is the first time that a wind farm operations and maintenance vessel has been designed exclusively for this purpose. Great care has been taken, over 2 years of development, to ensure suitability to the tasks for which it is designed,” he added.
The vessel has been specifically designed to be as ‘green’ as possible with minimal emissions and low fuel consumption.
Its hull form has been designed with comfort in mind with an aim to minimise motion sickness and ensure technicians are fit for work.
With the integral features of efficiency and safety, the third is comfort. Its accommodation compromises 60 individual ensuite berths, all of which are equipped with TV and Wi-Fi.
“The vessel is built on a stable DP-2 (Dynamic Positioning) platform so it offers very high operability. It will provide safe offshore transfers for personnel by way of a motion compensated access system (Walk to Work),” continued Mr Blaikie.
He continued: “Equipment will be securely transferred by way of the heave compensated offshore-rated knuckle boom crane.”
“With technicians on standby in the field 24/7, wind farm operators can act immediately to rectify expensive outages, even in the toughest of weather conditions.”
In line with wind farms being constructed further from shore, the SOV with walk-to-work access will be able to remain at sea for periods up to one month.
Mr Robert concluded: “We are delighted to be working with one of the great names in shipping. Damen and Bibby both have a strong maritime heritage and, almost uniquely, are both still family owned.”
“However, both companies are clearly focussed on innovation and by working together, we are strengthening our position in the offshore renewables sector.”
By Alice Mason
