South Boats IOW Ltd., the UK’s manufacturer of Wind Farm Crew Transfer Vessels (CTV’s), has welcomed Rhode Island Fast Ferry’s order for a South Boats 21m with US licensee from Blount Boats Inc.
Ben Colman of South Boats IOW Ltd said: “We have been working with Blount Boats for over 3yrs and it is fantastic that they have now been awarded a contract for the construction of their first South Boats IOW crew transfer vessel. Charles Donadio fully researched the CTV market and spent time with us here in the UK before signing the contract. This is a significant development for all parties and South Boats IOW are particularly pleased that the first CTV in America is to be a South Boats 21m.”
Blount Boats was awarded a licence from South Boats IOW back in 2012 in preparation for the development and construction of offshore wind in the US.
Both Charles Donadio, President of Rhode Island Fast Ferry and Luther Blount, Project Engineer of Blount Boats spent a week in the UK earlier this year spending time at Cowes with the design team and local operator, Seacat Services. They also had the opportunity to view vessels in build and to take a trip out to Scroby Sands Offshore Wind Farm, the first in the UK aboard a similar crew transfer vessel.
Marcia Blount , President of Blount Boats Inc., stated, “We are honoured to be chosen to build the first U.S.-flagged wind farm vessel in the United States. The vessel is designed specifically for turbine transfer service. We enthusiastically join an all Rhode Island team of windfarm, operator and boatbuilder.”