Tidal Transit has officially christened its new crew transfer vessel Imogen Rose at a ceremony hosted by Equinor in Great Yarmouth.
The naming ceremony formed part of a wider event to celebrate completion of an ongoing modification project at Equinor’s 317MW Sheringham Shoal offshore wind farm.
Imogen Rose (pictured) is an Incat Crowther UK-designed WindFlex 27 model, outfitted with Volvo Penta Quad-IPS, and built by Singapore-based Penguin International.
Her first charter was to energy services supplier Stowen Group, supporting the firm’s contract with Equinor delivering essential offshore modification and maintenance at Sheringham Shoal.
Designed for high levels of fuel efficiency, manoeuvrability and durability in all-weather operating conditions, Imogen Rose was chosen to support timely completion of the modification project at Sheringham Shoal.
It marks the latest milestone in the long-term collaboration between the two companies. Tidal Transit has supplied Equinor with crew transfer solutions for over a decade.
Described as a frontrunner for next-generation electric builds, Imogen Rose features future-proofed hull design and onboard systems, allowing her to be retrofitted in with zero-emissions power supply and propulsion.
Electric-ready designs are increasingly sought-after by the offshore industry as wind farm developers and operators ramp up efforts to decarbonise.
Tidal Transit’s commercial director Leo Hambro said: “Imogen Rose has been constantly busy since delivery earlier in the year, so we’re delighted to have been finally able give her the belated christening she deserves.
“Thank you to Equinor and Stowen Group for hosting such a fantastic event, and we’re looking forward to collaborating further as we continue to support current and future offshore developments in the UK and beyond.”
Colin Galer, plant manager of the Sheringham Shoal offshore wind farm, added: “We are delighted to host the christening of Imogen Rose. Stowen recently chartered the vessel to serve an important role at Sheringham Shoal. Sheringham Shoal was our first commercial wind farm and delivery of our operations programme is an important part of maintaining this asset.”
Stowen Group’s chief operating officer Kieron Ford added: “Utilising Imogen Rose from Tidal Transit was a seamless operation from start to finish. The professionalism, reliability, and quality of the team were outstanding throughout.
“Their impeccable service played a key role in keeping our project ahead of schedule, and we’ll certainly look to use Tidal Transit vessels in future offshore wind projects.”
Sheringham Shoal is an Equinor-operated wind farm located off the coast of North Norfolk. Beginning operations in 2012, the site comprises 88 wind turbines and generates around 1.1TWh of green energy per year.