The UK-based Chartwell Marine has won a contract to design a low-emission hybrid catamaran to be deployed in New England, the U.S.
According to Chartwell, the vessel order comes as new industries such as offshore wind emerge in the U.S. and next-generation hybrid crafts are necessary for operators to begin to adapt to stringent emissions regulations.
The 65ft catamaran has been designed to meet EPA Tier 4 emission standards and considerations will be made possible by an advanced new hull form, the company stated.
Chartwell Marine said it had invested in latest techniques in tank testing and computational fluid dynamics modeling with which the new hull has been optimized.
“The future of vessel procurement will look quite different to its current forms today, as operators worldwide begin to respond to increasingly stringent requirements for low emission craft,” said Andy Page , Naval Architect and Managing Director at Chartwell Marine.
“With emerging industries such as offshore wind changing the landscape of maritime activity off the East Coast, the USA in particular will be a major growth market for innovative new vessels.”