Atlantic Wind Transfers has signed an order for two crew transfer vessels (CTVs), developed by UK-based Chartwell Marine, for work in the US offshore wind sector.
The vessels, to be deployed in support of new wind farms off the east coast, will be built by Blount Boats, a US shipyard, for delivery in 2020.
Atlantic Wind Transfers’ CTVs will be compliant with legislation protecting the migration route of the protected Right Whale off the north-eastern seaboard, with a specially adapted 65-foot hull, which has also been designed to handle the Atlantic sea conditions, said Chartwell.
Chartwell Marine managing director Andy Page said: “Based on our knowledge of the conditions off the coast of New England, we made modifications to our design to ensure optimal performance.
“Compliance with maritime regulations is only second to the safety of personnel, so we have ensured that Atlantic Wind Transfers and its clients will benefit from a vessel that ticks all of these boxes, while attaining the highest possible standards of safety and technical availability.”
Atlantic Wind Transfers chief executive Charles Donadio said: “Our crew transfer vessel company was the first to support offshore wind here in Rhode Island, with the first and only CTV currently operating in the United States.
“This is another major milestone for us as we expand our operation and aim to support the local supply chain along the east coast of the United States.
“We have worked closely with Andy Page for the last seven years and, based on past experience along with conversations with established European CTV operators, we knew that the Chartwell 24 was the right vessel to deliver the standards of service our future clients will expect.
“We have full confidence the finished vessel from Blount Boats will be a class-leading, US-flagged, Jones-Act compliant vessel.”
Blount Boats, in Warren, Rhode Island, built the first US flagged CTV for Atlantic Wind Transfers in 2015, the Atlantic Pioneer, which in turn was commissioned to service the first US offshore wind farm, the 30MW Block Island, off Rhode Island.
Blount Boats president and chief financial officer Marcia Blount said: “As the offshore market grows, so too does the demand for American-made CTVs.
“Building vessels to Chartwell’s proven design enables us to couple European design expertise with American engineering and support the domestic supply chain as it goes from strength to strength.”