The Netherlands: SeaZip Nominated for 2013 KVNR Shipping Award

This year, five entries will be eligible for the 2013 KVNR Shipping Award, an award granted by the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners for shipping, environmental, organisational or socially conscious innovations effectuated by shipping companies.

The winner will be announced at the 2013 Maritime Awards Gala which will take place in De Broodfabriek in Rijswijk on 31 October.

SeaZip Offshore Service nominated because of its ‘Sophisticated Service Vessel’ project

SeaZip Offshore Service BV, a JR Shipping Group’s sister company, was founded in 2010. SeaZip Offshore Service’s primary focus is on the development and operation of seaworthy classified vessels which conform to the highest quality and safety standards currently applicable to international waters.

The European offshore wind energy market constitutes a growth market which not only values economic profit, but attaches at least as much importance to social gain. Exploring and exploiting renewable energy are vital to the development of new prospects. Between now and 2030, dozens of large-scale wind farms will be developed in the North Sea. These projected farms will be situated at ever greater distances from the coast and at even greater depths.

As a result, this trend will spark demand for various types of service vessels which provide cost-efficient and environmentally responsible solutions to complicated logistic problems. With the operation of the SeaZip 1 & 2, the shipping company is effectually responding to the explosive growth in demand for state-of-the-art, classified service vessels in the North-European offshore wind industry.

The SeaZip 1 & 2 are state-of-the-art service catamaran ships for the transport of passengers and cargo. These aluminium vessels (type FCS 2610) were constructed by Damen Shipyards and are modelled after the innovative Twin Axe Bow concept, which provides maximum stability on the open sea and steady vessel behaviour in a seaway, at the highest possible speed. The SeaZip 1 & 2 measure 25.75 meters in length and can transport 12 passengers at a time. Their competitive characteristics include: high fuel efficiency, large engine power combined with maximum manoeuvrability, and being geared to strenuous non-stop services on the open sea.

Because of its connection with JR Shipping Group, SeaZip Offshore Service is capable of providing international market participants operating in the offshore windmill industry with unique full-service concepts. These concepts fall under the guarantees of a recognised ship management organisation, certified for International Ship & Port Facility Security (ISPS) and International Safety Management (ISM).

The other nominees are as follows:

– Flinter, Borchard Lines and PPG: investing in each other’s interests

– Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC): the deep-draft construction vessel Aegir

– Management Facilities Group: sustainable energy management

– Stemat Marine Services and Neptune Shipyards: the 24-person crew tender Liz V.

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Press release, October 4, 2013; Image: SeaZip