Belgian order for Blyth Workcats
Specialist designers and builders of GRP catamarans Blyth Workcats of Canvey Island, exhibitors at Seawork International on Stand B27, have completed delivery of their very first two-deck boat to Ostend Marine Services, Aqualink. Featuring a high bridge and a wide foredeck, the 18m all-purpose vessel has a cruising speed of 20 knots and a range of around 700nm.
Ostend Marine plan to use the vessel for a wide range of applications, including chartering for transfer of crews and cargoes to offshore wind farms, diving support and fishery operations. Moreover, as its high bridge affords clear all-round visibility from the helm coupled with in-situ desktop facilities and navigation seats, the company says it is also ideal for hydrographic survey work with an ancillary watertight moonpool compartment suitable for accommodating a multibeam sonar and associated equipment; typical uses include sidescan sonar imaging, bathymetric studies, sub-bottom profiling and route surveys for cables and pipelines.
Aqualink is the second Blyth-built vessel to have been commissioned by Ostend Marine following earlier delivery of a 14m Workcat whose versatile performance and capability has led to the novel development of the Belgian company’s latest purpose-designed acquisition.
By David Goodfellow
