Triple first for Strategic Marine

The StratCat is first in its class with regards to three particulars and builds on the success of the first eight 21m vessels built for Njord by Australian headquartered Strategic Marine.

Reece Newbold, group business development manager, Strategic Marine, said: “The StratCat, co-designed by BMT, not only breaks new ground as an installation ‘triple first’, it fully accounts for all operational parameters required to safely and efficiently transfer crew to offshore wind turbines.”

He said that the StratCat has the very first commercial quad IPS installation on a vessel, with the distinction of being the first IPS quad fitted on a catamaran. Apparently, it’s also the world’s first IPS version 900 quad installation on any vessel.

The StratCat is the first of four in a series of 26m vessels ordered by UK-based Njord. Strategic, a member of the TriYards Group with facilities in Australia, Singapore and Vietnam, previously built eight 21m crew transport vessels for Njord which, like these larger new vessels, were purpose-made to spearhead the European windfarm service industry in quality, operability, and crew comfort.

Stratcat has a cruising speed of 25 knots courtesy of a quad installation of Volvo IPS drive units, each generating 700hp for total 2,800hp. It’s also capable of achieving 23 knots in redundancy mode with one main engine down.

Its intuitive joystick docking (main control, two wing joysticks and rescue zone joystick) and Dynamic Positioning System allow precision control when manoeuvring onto a wind turbine ensuring safe crew transfers.

The vessel also has 77m2 of clear deck and container carriage space, a SWL 2.5 tonne @ 8m knuckle boom crane, accommodation for ten, shower facilities, a full galley and mess.

By Anne-Marie Causer