Australian Shipbuilder Launches Its First Wind Farm Vessel for Europe

Western Australian shipbuilder Strategic Marine has launched the first of eight offshore wind farm crew transfer and support vessels it has been contracted to deliver into the European market.

The 21 metre multipurpose vessel was built at the company’s recently expanded Singapore shipyard for Madliena Shipping (Jersey) Ltd and will be managed by Njord Offshore Limited, a subsidiary of Norse Management UK.

Strategic Marine’s Business Development Manager, Paul Liddington, said the state-of-the-art catamaran was designed by world-renowned ship designer and business partner BMT Nigel Gee.

“The launch of the first vessel is another Strategic Marine business milestone, demonstrating our company’s ability to apply its ship building expertise to a new market sector,” Mr Liddington said.

“We have a vast amount of experience in building boats for the offshore oil and gas sector, which we have drawn-on to provide custom-designed, cost effective vessels to meet the needs of the offshore wind farm industry.

“Utilising key partners like BMT for design, construction and system engineering, the product will set another new benchmark in the wind farm market. The outstanding quality of the vessel produced by the Singapore yard once again demonstrates that you can get real value for money by building in Asia,” he said.

Technical Director of BMT Nigel Gee, Ed Dudson, said the design guidelines for the new catamarans meet the challenges for enhanced operations in all manner of sea conditions.

“BMT’s design is based on a well proven hull form that encompasses excellent fuel economy as well as superior sea keeping,” Mr Dudson said.

Strategic Marine’s Executive Director, Ron F Anderson, said the company had established a sales and service agreement network in Europe to support ship repairs and through life support services.

“Strategic Marine has made a long-term commitment to the European offshore wind market to ensure the vessels we build have a long, successful life after they have been delivered,” Mr Anderson said.

The offshore wind farm crew transfer and support vessels are among the most sophisticated in the market, built to DNV Class Rules – +IAI HSLC R2 Wind Farm Service 1. Each vessel will be powered by twin MTU 8V2000M72 engines and be capable of speeds up to 26 knots.

In addition, the vessels have been designed for crew comfort with multimedia and entertainment capacity, showers with hot water, full galley and a combination oven.

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Press release, December 4, 2012; Image: strategicmarine