Vineyard Wind has signed a charter with Patriot Offshore Maritime Services for a crew transfer vessel (CTV) for work on the 800MW Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm off the US state of Massachusetts.
Patriot will construct the 27-metre CTV at Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in Somerset, Massachusetts.
The vessel will be based on a proven catamaran design by Incat Crowther and will be capable of carrying up to 24 technicians and personnel.
Vineyard Wind, a joint venture of Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, said its selection of the Patriot and Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding team will optimize the local content benefits of the Vineyard Wind project to Massachusetts.
Vessel delivery will be mid–2023, when the CTV will be deployed directly into construction, transporting essential personnel and equipment in support of the project.
Vineyard also has the option to charter additional CTVs from Patriot as part of their marine logistic strategy.
Vineyard Wind has also signed a contract with American Offshore Services for a second CTV that will be built by Blount Boats in Rhode Island.
The US-flagged CTVs will be fully Jones Act compliant and will be manned and operated by locally sourced maritime union labour during the construction phase of the project.
Vineyard Wind chief executive Klaus Skoust Moeller said: “We are excited to have a Massachusetts company like Patriot on the Vineyard team and proud to support local jobs in Massachusetts through the employment of local maritime labor.
“These vessels will not only serve a critical role in both construction and operation and maintenance for our project but will also help to launch a new industry that will create jobs and reduce carbon pollution.”
Patriot president Michael Landry said: “We are honoured that Vineyard selected Patriot to provide this CTV for its first US commercial offshore wind project.
“We are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”
The vessel will initially hail from New Bedford and other Massachusetts ports during construction of Vineyard Wind 1 and then be based in Vineyard Haven during the project’s operation and maintenance phase.
Vineyard Wind 1 will begin delivering electricity to Massachusetts in 2023.