Vessel Featuring Yacht Racing Tech to Join Seacat Services Fleet

The UK-based offshore energy support vessel (OESV) operator Seacat Services will soon add a new high-speed offshore wind support vessel to its fleet. Seacat Sceptre, built by Diverse Marine and currently undergoing sea trials, has been designed by Chartwell Marine and fitted with Foil Optimisation and Stability System (FOSS) developed by BAR Technologies.

Hydrofoils, re-popularised and matured as a technology in high-end yacht racing, lift the hull in the water in transit to reduce frictional resistance, thereby improving energy efficiency and stability, Chartwell Marine said.

FOSS reduces hull resistance by positioning the lifting foil near the transom and controlling the running trim to ensure the hull is operating at its most efficient trims across the speed range, according to the company. As well as contributing a 30 per cent improvement in energy efficiency through wake reduction, FOSS improves seakeeping and handling through general motion damping, active roll and trim response, and improved manoeuvrability and stability in varying sea conditions.

Chartwell Marine says that its partnership with BAR Technologies is answering the demands of the offshore wind sector, which has stringent standards of operational excellence tested against the combined pressures of servicing larger and more remote sites, and the need to reduce costs and carbon intensity.

This is achieved with the development of new technologies to enhance the industry’s proven platforms with improved operationality, and incremental improvements to energy efficiency and related emissions performance, the vessel designer said.

“Technologies like FOSS create additional opportunities for the current market-leading vessel designs to adapt to and accommodate the emerging demands of their customers, not just in reducing emissions, but also in enhancing performance, comfort and the vessels operating window – in the case of FOSS, minimising motions of the crew and engineers onboard to ensure they reach the wind turbines quickly, throughout the year and with minimal fatigue”, said John Cooper, CEO of BAR Technologies.

Along with Seacat Sceptre with the FOSS system that is the first in the series of collaborative designs developed by Chartwell and BAR Tech, Seacat Services has also ordered a vessel of a BARTech 30 design, which is anticipated for launch in the Summer of 2022.

“Improving operational and environmental performance is a challenge facing all maritime sectors, so collaboration between these sectors and the sharing of expertise is a natural answer to the call for decarbonisation, without ever losing sight of the critical operational requirements of the demanding offshore wind support sector”, said Andy Page, MD of Chartwell Marine.

“Optimising the hull form is a critical component when engineering a holistic, incremental approach to emissions reductions; ensuring that energy efficient technologies are able to build from the strongest foundation of operational and environmental performance, and generate the maximum benefit for the sector”.

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