The two first crewboats of the new BOURBON Surfer-200X series have just ended their sea trials off the Normandy coast in France and will operate along the Gabonese coast for TotalEnergies in the next weeks. Bourbon Mobility will accelerate its fleet transformation within the next 3 years and plans to build 40 new units in total.
After 2 years of design, engineering and construction, the first vessel of Surfer-200x series is on its way to operate. The offshore market will then soon be able to experience the comfort and technical capabilities of this 19-meter, 30-knot as cruising speed, 30-passenger, new crew boat.
Three additional Surfer-200x units are already under construction at Efinor-Allais French Shipyard in Cherbourg. The thirty-five remaining vessels should be built within the next 3 years. The new fleet will be made of both 19-meter Interfields vessels and 26 & 38-meter Crewliners, which will be equipped with new-generation engines and cabins with an innovative design, while capitalising on series construction for better reliability. This is part of BOURBON’s commitment to maintain its operating standards by ensuring the average age of its fleet at 8 years.
Designed and built based on user experience, both from passengers and BOURBON’s pilots and crews, the Surfer-200X series features the highest level of comfort and safety on the market to date. BOURBON Surfer-200x series integrate more than 150 specific comments from operational side that led, for passengers, to:
- Improved seating comfort, with increased legroom and higher head rest
- Noise isolation and reduced vibrations thanks to the shock absorbers installed under the seats
- More spacious volumes of the cabin in general
- Charging points allowing passengers to recharge all their electronic devices
- Panoramic windows for a better view of the environment
- Variable Led lighting and optimised air conditioning system.
Bourbon Mobility has also integrated as much feedbacks as possible from the pilots to make their life on board easier and safer:
- Improved visual & physical access to all key equipment in the engine room
- Vessel’s hull structure reinforcement for a better durability and safety
- Installation of 5 CCTVs on board allowing the crew to monitor passenger safety, including one in the Boat landing zone
- Upgrade of the ergonomics and comfort of the whole wheelhouse
- State of the art navigation equipment tools & its user interface (2 multi-display touch screens)
- Bridge new positioning to guaranty a better 360° visibility and a limitation of heeling effect
- Cabin crew overall volume increase & new sitting set up for the crew
- Partition system between the wheelhouse & the passengers cabin, in order to reduce noise pollution.
Specific attention has also been brought to reduce the greenhouse effect in the wheelhouse.
LEDs and solar panels have been installed to replace classical lightening system and reduce power consumption.
“Our Surfer-200x offers a unique experience on the offshore market! These new vessels prefigure our company’s crew boats Surfers for the mid-term. They are not only a symbol of the renewal of the Interfield fleet but also a strong signal sent to our clients: BOURBON’s will is to innovate and anticipate market trends. With this new series, BOURBON continues to offer the best economic and environmental alternative to helicopter transport, but also a better level of comfort and safety for both passengers and crew, in line with our ambition of operational excellence” said François Leslé, CEO of Bourbon Mobility.
