VESSEL REVIEW | Augustin Fresnel – French operator places hybrid hydrogen buoy tender into service

Armement des Phares et Balises (APB), a marine services provider based in the Brittany Region of northwestern France, has taken delivery of a new hybrid-powered, oceangoing buoy tender built by local shipyard Socarenam.

The LMG Marin-designed hybrid hydrogen fuel cell-powered vessel has been named Augustin Fresnel after Augustin-Jean Fresnel, the 19th century French engineer and physicist best known for his work in optics and for developing a type of specialised lens that has been adapted for use in lighthouses.

Large dimensions and capacity ideal for offshore deployment

The newbuild will be operated in the Atlantic Ocean out of Saint-Nazaire. Her duties will include maintenance, repair and replacement of aids to navigation such as buoys, beacons, and lighthouses.

The steel-hulled Augustin Fresnel has an LOA of 54 metres (180 feet), a beam of 12.7 metres (41.7 feet), a draught of 3.6 metres (12 feet), a depth of 5.8 metres (19 feet), a deadweight of 1,194, a gross tonnage of 1,179, a working deck with a total area of 310 square metres (3,300 square feet), and a Melcal heavy duty crane with a lifting capacity of 15 tons.

The vessel’s dimensions make her the largest buoy tender ever acquired by APB.

The vessel was designed to be able to operate out at sea for up to 12 days with an embarked crew of 12 plus up to eight additional personnel housed in single cabins.

Onboard space is available for a six-metre (20-foot) rescue boat with seating for five people.

Optimising energy use through advanced features

The vessel’s hybrid propulsion system consists of two Caterpillar C32 IMO Tier III-compliant diesel generators supplemented by a 720kWh lithium-ion battery pack, an EODev hydrogen fuel cell, and solar panels covering 30 square metres (320 square feet). This arrangement, which enables the vessel to operate without emitting CO₂ or greenhouse gases, drives azimuthing thrusters to deliver a service speed of 13 knots.

The propulsion setup also includes two side tunnel thrusters fitted in the bow.

The vessel’s design has been optimised to ensure reduced energy consumption. It incorporates a heat recovery system, an intelligent management system for the electrical equipment, and enhanced thermal insulation.

The intelligent system also controls the lighting, automatically adjusting as necessary depending on whether a compartment is occupied.

The acquisition of Augustin Fresnel is part of APB’s fleet modernisation program. The vessel replaces the operator’s older buoy tenders Atlantique and Gascogne, which were completed in 2004 and in 1983, respectively.

The new buoy tender was designed and built in compliance with Bureau Veritas class requirements.