EMO adds new cat to CTV fleet
Germany’s EMS Maritime Offshore (EMO) has ordered a new catamaran CTV for service from April in the North Sea during the operational phase of a new offshore wind farm.
The new boat was ordered from Strategic Marine in Singapore and is already under construction. It will operate out of the port of Norddeich from April “for at least three years”, the firm said, under a contract with Hamburg wind turbine installation specialists Senvion. EMO said the newbuild would carry out maintenance during the operational phase of the new Nordsee One wind farm.
Senvion has supplied the new wind farm with 54 Type 6.2M126 turbine installations.The last was erected in September and EMO, part of Germany’s expanding AG Ems Group, said the launch of the new catamaran was planned for after the final work on the wind farm plants was completed.
The new 26m long CTV will be the second SM Type StratCAT26m boat for EMO. It will be powered by a Quad Water Jet propulsion system and SM said key features will include the capability to carry 24 service personnel and up to 30 tonnes of cargo. It will also have an active fender system and an efficient, proven hull frame from designer BMT Nigel Gee. The boat project is a shared venture between EMO and partner Van Laar Maritime BV and is costing about € 4 million.
Strategic Marine described the StratCAT26 as a popular choice for the North Sea offshore sector, “with the flexibility of propulsion systems enabling it to accommodate various wind farm locations and characteristics”.
In a reference to other boats in his fleet, EMO Managing Director Knut Gerdes said: “Once again, we have commissioned a specialised ship that meets the operational conditions of the southern North Sea and the needs of our customers”. He added that EMO hoped for further projects in the German offshore wind energy sector.
EMO lists five CTVs currently in service. Three – Windea One, Two and Three are 25.68m Damen twin axe bow vessels. Windea Four is the earlier 27.5m StratCat catamaran CTV from SM and the fifth, Windea Five, is a 26.4 SWATH wind farm tender which once served as Natalia Becker and is, at seven, the oldest CVT in the EMO fleet. The two latter boats were introduced just last year at the inauguration of a newly renovated pier at EMO operations hub Emden Knock in north Germany.
The new CTV order follows news of a second offshore service base for EMO. Costing €1.4 million it is being built in the Dutch port of Eemshaven and will be ready in spring. User will be Merkur Offshore, operator of a new wind farm being built in the German North Sea.
By Tom Todd
