Seacat Weatherly Secures Charter at Moray East Windfarm

Seacat Weatherly began its assignments earlier this quarter to support Operations & Maintenance (O&M) activity for the Moray East service team working at the 100-turbine, 950MW capacity wind farm.

Building wind farms in deeper waters further from shore enables operators to harness greater wind speeds with fewer obstructions than on land, but trades its increased power production potential for more complex logistics. Conducting offshore technicians safely and comfortably to sites like Moray East is critical for the continuous provision of renewable power to Scotland and the United Kingdom.

Seacat operates one of the most versatile, reliable, and advanced OESV fleets in the sector, with ongoing R&D programmes refining the formula for passenger experience amid demanding workscopes and challenging operational environments. Seacat Weatherly was the first Chartwell 24 catamaran to enter operational service in 2020, and over the past year has demonstrated the highest standards of performance in charters off the Scottish coast.

Accommodating 24 passengers and a total of 11 tonnes of cargo at a service speed of 26 knots, Seacat Weatherly ably fulfils Moray East’s requirements in providing high speed crew and cargo transfer. The vessel is certified to the highest standards of safety and reliability with Bureau Veritas, and incorporates unique shock absorbing and noise reduction features to ensure technicians arrive on-site comfortable and prepared for work.

Mark Drew, Managing Director, Seacat Services, commented: “The North Sea is a key location for the UK’s offshore wind industry; capitalising on the region’s strong wind speeds is vital as the government pursues its target for all electricity to be green by 2035. At Seacat we’ve tailored our fleet to support the build out of key offshore wind markets and are proud to be offering our best-in-class support to such important clean energy projects as those in development in Scottish waters.”

Paul Cavanagh, Asset Director, Moray Offshore Windfarm (East) Limited, said: “We secured Seacat for this charter due to the reputation of its fleet for safety, reliability, and manoeuvrability. Seacat’s fleet of Chartwell 24s routinely proves its salt across offshore sites in Scotland and the UK; to have a domestic provider with such a track record for delivering high quality performance in the North Sea brings clear advantages to the Moray East project. We look forward to working with them throughout the development and maintenance of the wind farm.”