Scotmarine Gets Damen’s Multi Cat for Tidal Energy Projects

Damen Shipyards Group delivered a Multi Cat 2613 on 30 April 2015 to Scotland-based chartering company Scotmarine.

The 50-tonne bollard pull vessel has a large crane and will replace the stock vessel Multi Cat Orcadia Scotmarine purchased three years ago. The hull of the new vessel was in stock and customised for the client earlier this year.

The vessel will be used for offshore tidal activities in Scotland’s Northern Isles.

Scotmarine will deploy the new vessel in developing underwater tidal energy farms for Scot Renewables Tidal Power. The Scot Renewables floating tidal technology uses low-cost Multi Cat workboat vessels for installation, maintenance and decommissioning to save tidal developers’ installation costs.

This robust Multi Cat is strong enough to pull and position underwater tidal turbines in heavy currents. Managing Director Damen Marine Services (DMS) Rik van Prooijen said: “A MultiCat has to drop and embed heavy anchors in the seabed and connect turbines to these anchors. You need a powerful vessel to do so.”

Over the past five years, Damen has delivered a number of other Multi Cats for the offshore tidal industry in the Northern Isles,. Recently, a MultiCat 2712, measuring 27 metres in length and 12 metres in beam, with a maximum bollard pull of 35 tonnes, was delivered to Green Marine Energy Support Services. Other Damen Multi Cats include the 2613 and 2611, examples of which are operated by Delta Marine in the Shetland Isles.

Image: Damen