Alucatz expands into repair

It recently completed a repair job for Fred Olsen’s windfarm crew transfer vessel, Bayard 2, which included emergency replacement of its starboard thruster bearings and cleaning in just 3.5 hours. The firm also only had a notice period of 10 hours to equip itself ready for the job.

The repair was conducted in association with ASB Engineering. The 118 gross tonne vessel, which services the Gwynt y Mor windfarm, is normally serviced at Holyhead, but this time it couldn’t be because the shipyard crane was already in use.

Drew Reyland, managing director, Alucatz Catamarans, told Maritime Journal: “This has opened a big door for us. The operator has said that they will be coming to us next time because of the quick turnaround time.”

Alucatz will also be completing repair jobs for the water injection dredger, Doon Hammer, owned by Fleetwood based Wyre Marine and Ocean Dragon, the purpose built windfarm support vessel owned by North Wales based Ocean Marine Services Ltd.

Aside from the repair jobs, Mr Reyland also told MJ that the firm has another newbuild in the pipeline – a 28m offshore cat for a Caribbean client.

It’s also launching two new ‘Reaper’ cats early next year, fast patrol boats geared towards SAR services and law enforcement.

One type will be a 17m cat built in aluminium with top speeds of 130mph and the other will be built in carbon fibre with top speeds of 205mph. Both will be equipped with new lightweight engines powered to the tune of 16,000bhp.

“Our focus will be on both newbuilds and repair for the next six months. The Reaper project will change the way in which people perceive workboats. They feature a ‘cloak’ which makes them undetectable to radar. We’ll have the demo ready for around Christmas and it will be on the water around March/April 2015,” Mr Reyland added.

By Anne-Marie Causer