AUSTRALIAN vessel designer Incat Crowther was awarded a three-vessel order from Windea CTV, a US-based operator of crew-transfer vessels.
Two of the CTVs will be built by St Johns Shipbuilding in Florida and one will be built by Gulf Craft in Louisiana.
All three vessels will initially be chartered by GE on the Vineyard Wind Offshore wind farm 15 miles off the coast of Massachusetts.
The vessels, which are 30 metres in length, are based on proven CTVs developed by Incat Crowther. They feature a large foredeck with a 23 t.m knuckle boom crane and container securing lugs offering exceptional flexibility. The vessels incorporate Incat Crowther’s patented resilient bow technology minimising boat landing impact forces. As is common with all Incat Crowther CTVs, the vessels have a deadweight capability in excess of 50 tonnes.
The vessels feature six crew berths in above-deck staterooms. Other notable features include a large wet room and stores warehouse, fully-featured bathrooms and a discreet mess area. Workshop and utility spaces in the hulls are immediately accessible from the cabin.
The vessels are to be propelled by quad Volvo IPS propulsion units driven by Volvo DI13 main engines. They are hybrid-ready, meaning the integration of the hybrid system is completely accommodated in the design. This includes dedicated voids for batteries, reserved cabling space and battery removal hatches.
The vessels will be designed and built under Bureau Veritas class and comply with US Coastguard CFR 46 Subchapter L regulations.
Incat Crowther Europe managing director Ed Dudson said: “this order is the result of a significant joint development between Incat Crowther and the Windea CTV partners starting back in 2019. It’s great to have multiple vessels building for what I am sure will be a very successful operation.”
