The new vessel is a catamaran built by South Boats IoW and named Seacat Mischief. The vessel, along with her sister, Seacat Magic, currently still being constructed, boast a sprint speed of just over 30 knots, allowing the vessels to be easily and rapidly deployed in international waters. The order for the two vessels was signed with South Boats IoW in February 2015. Both vessels are certified to the DNV-GL 1A1 HSLC R1 Windfarm Service 1 classification, placing them in the top tier of offshore energy workboats.
The European offshore wind market is increasingly focused on three distinct areas of deeper water construction, expansion in new markets and existing operations and maintenance activity. This means that vessel operators have to think carefully about their fleet capabilities. Seacat Services new vessels, in conjunction with the company’s proven 21 metre, 24 metre and 26 metre catamarans – and the soon to be built 27 metre boats – can provide a host of different solutions to meet these changing demands. This has seen the company’s vessels deployed consistently through 2015 as existing projects are brought online and Round 3 projects undergo initial survey work.
In building this fleet, Seacat Services has worked closely with South Boats IoW, as part of a long-standing development relationship that has enabled the boat builder to continuously optimise and refine a proven and well-established design. Seacat Mischief will benefit from a number of incremental design modifications, based on operational feedback, although in other respects the vessel has all the same ingredients as her sister vessels in the Seacat Services fleet, allowing the fleet operators and technical teams to offer the same level of service and user experience to which technicians and crew have become accustomed.
“There is no one-size fits all solution to delivering crew transfer vessels for European offshore wind projects” said Ian Baylis, Managing Director, Seacat Services. “However in building a diverse fleet of vessels designed to serve all areas of the market – from new deep-water sites to existing operational projects – there should be no compromise when it comes to the overall user experience and quality of service.”
Mr Baylis added that maintaining high standards requires continuous investment and the company’s ongoing relationship with South Boats IoW means that each boat launched is immediately recognisable as a Seacat Services vessel, profiting directly from the experience of the crew members, technicians and support teams on the vessels before her
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