Offshore Vessel News Roundup | January 9 – Chinese-built turbine installation vessels plus new crewboats for US and Brunei owners

Deliveries include a crewboat for a US windfarm support company and a turbine installation vessel for a Chinese owner. A installation vessel for a Danish operator is meanwhile launched into the water for the first time. Finally, a Brunei-based firm places an order for a new fast crewboat with secondary emergency response capability.

WINDEA CTV welcomes new crewboat to fleet

WINDEA CTV, a partnership of Hornblower Wind and MidOcean Wind, has taken delivery of the first in a series of three windfarm crewboats built by Florida-based St Johns Ship Building.

The all-aluminium WINDEA Courageous will be operated at the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

The crewboat measures 98 feet (30 metres) long and can transport 24 technicians and six crewmembers. Four 690hp (515kW) main engines will deliver speeds of up to 29 knots.

Construction completed on Chinese wind turbine installation vessel

Chinese shipbuilder CIMC Raffles has completed construction of a new wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) that will serve the Chinese offshore wind market.

Boqiang 3060 was designed and built by CIMC Raffles in compliance to China Classification Society rules. It will be operated by ABC Financial Leasing.

The WTIV has a length of 133 metres, a beam of 53 metres, a DP2 system, and a 2,200-tonne rotating crane. Installation can be performed at water depths of up to 70 metres.

Cadeler’s newest installation vessel launched in China

Danish offshore installation company Cadeler has confirmed the launch of its newest WTIV at COSCO Shipyard in Qidong, China.

Named Wind Peak, the vessel will have a total deck space of 5,000 square metres for carrying over 17,600 tonnes and a main crane with a lifting capacity of 2,500 tonnes.

The WTIV’s delivery is scheduled for the third quarter of this year. Once in service, it will be used for the transport and installation of up to seven 15MW wind turbines and associated components or five 20MW turbines.

Brunei operator taps Singaporean builder for new crewboat

Brunei-based offshore services company the AMARCO Group has selected Singapore shipbuilder Strategic Marine as its preferred builder for its future fast crewboat.

The 42-metre vessel will have space for the future installation of a gyrostabiliser as well as an optional motion-compensated gangway. Three main engines will deliver speeds of over 27.5 knots.

The crewboat will also be equipped with external firefighting gear and an oil dispersant system.