Germanys first offshore cat in service

The 22m long and 8.3m wide ship, which draws 1.85m, was built by the Schiffswerft Diedrich. It is the yard’s first all aluminium vessel and Diedrich said it felt sure it would be the first of a long line of similar newbuildings.

For owners AG Reederei Norden-Frisia, Wind Force 1 represents a first step into the offshore business and comes as a big future is being predicted for local wind parks. Frisia itself described the newbuilding as ‘a good sea going and multi-talented vessel.’ It is the first ship of the kind under the German flag and was built especially for wind park service to international SPS standards.

The GL registered Wind Force 1 is driven by two Cat C32 Ditta main engines, each of 820 kW at 2,100 rpm, providing a speed of 25 knots. Also featuring are two ZF3000 2.5:1 marine gearboxes, two CAT C4.4 86kVa generators and two 50 kW hydraulic bow thrusters.

Displacing 75 tons at full load, the vessel can carry 25 passengers and has deck space for a 10 ton load. It also carries 2.5 ton on board crane.

Frisia said the boat was based on Australian designs already used in offshore ship building projects and adapted to German and European standards. The owners also said the pre-manufactured aluminium plates for the ship were delivered by sea from Australia.

Frisia added that one thing distinguishing the vessel from its predecessors was a special bow boarding system which allows easy landing at wind park facilities for personnel.

Wind Force1 is the third ship, but the first newbuilding, in Norden Frisia’s offshore fleet. It joins the two former buoy layers, Otto Treplin and Beaufort, which are used as traffic safety and monitoring ships.

By Tom Todd