Offshore Vessel News Roundup | February 15 – UK amphibious and hybrid crewboats plus a cable guard ship for China’s inland waters

Recent deliveries include an amphibious crewboat that will support UK windfarm operations and a Chinese-built cable protection and maintenance vessel. A new daughtercraft for a Norwegian customer is launched into the water for the first time. Finally, a Singapore shipbuilder secures an order for four hybrid crewboats.

UK-built amphibious crewboat enters service

Isle of Wight boatbuilder Diverse Marine recently delivered a new windfarm crewboat with amphibious capability.

CRC Walrus will be operated by Commercial RIB Charter at the Scroby Sands wind farm in the UK North Sea.

The newbuild measures 13 metres long and has three tyres and all-wheel drive with a joystick control for use when operating on land and twin OXE diesel outboards. Up to 1,000 kilograms of cargo can also be carried.

Facilities include a water closet and a galley with a refrigerator and a microwave.

Chinese yard delivers cable protection vessel for inland operations

China’s Hunan Xiang Shipbuilding Heavy Industry has delivered a cable protection vessel to an undisclosed local customer.

Named Pulong, the vessel will be tasked with protection and maintenance of submarine cables in the Huangpu River and the Yangtze River estuary.

The newbuild has a steel hull, an aluminium superstructure, an LOA of 35.5 metres, and a beam of seven metres.

Two lithium-ion batteries with a total output of 945 kWh deliver a maximum speed of 12 knots. A full charge of the batteries will allow the vessel to sail up to 60 kilometres.

Pulong was built in compliance to China Classification Society rules.

Edda Wind’s newest daughtercraft hits the water

UK builder Alicat Workboats has launched a new daughtercraft/crewboat ordered by Norwegian operator Edda Wind.

Designed by Chartwell Marine, Boreas Worker will be operated by Edda Wind in support of the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in UK waters.

The crewboat has a length of 12 metres and capacity for 12 personnel. It will be capable of deployment from Edda Wind’s existing fleet of commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs).

HST Marine taps Singapore builder for hybrid crewboat quartet

UK operator HST Marine has awarded Singapore shipbuilder Strategic Marine a contract for the construction of four hybrid crewboats in a series.

The 27-metre vessels will be built to a design by UK-based BMT. Deliveries are scheduled for the first and second quarters of 2023.

The contract awarded by HST Marine also includes options for two additional crewboats.