Designed by Southampton-based naval architects Chartwell Marine Ltd in collaboration with North Star Renewables, the daughter craft will be used to safely transfer technicians from their accommodation on-board the firm’s service offshore vessels (SOVs), to work on offshore wind turbines along the East Coast of the UK.
Built by Alicat Workboats Ltd in Great Yarmouth the new hybrid propulsion daughter crafts include stabiliser technology ensuring the vessels will not only deliver reduced carbon emissions but provide class leading comfort for the technicians on board whilst setting a new standard for safe operations.
Selected for the increased torque provided by the OXE Marine diesel outboard the first daughter craft is being delivered 12 months ahead of schedule, under the build supervision locally of North Star’s division in Lowestoft. This will allow time for performance analysis and improvements, crew training and additional development ahead of the first of three SOVs arriving from summer 2023.
Peter Mantripp said “North Star Renewables carried out sea trials of the smaller OXE 200hp outboards in early 2021 and were impressed with the design concept and build quality, we are now very much looking forward to taking delivery of our order”