Nauti-Craft has formed a strategic alliance with US boat builder, Metal Shark, and UK based naval architects, Incat Crowther, to seek out opportunities in the United States offshore wind market.
The initial focus of the alliance is to offer a new design of windfarm service vessel in the form of a nominally 14 metre “daughter craft” equipped with Nauti-Craft marine suspension technology. Metal Shark will build the vessel and Incat Crowther will design the vessel in conjunction with Nauti-Craft who will design the suspension system.
This new vessel design will offer the ability to transfer personnel to offshore wind turbines in sea conditions where it would be unsafe with a conventional vessel. The increased capability increases the available “weather window” for maintaining or repairing offshore installations and is expected to deliver significant financial benefits to windfarm operators.
The daughter craft is delivered into the offshore wind farm by a mother ship incorporating a launch and recovery system. Crew and technicians are accommodated on the mother ship for extended periods on station in the windfarm and the daughter craft is used to transit and transfer technicians to the wind turbines for daily maintenance duties.
Nauti-Craft technology, as well as providing safer transfer to the wind turbine, also delivers improved ride comfort transiting to the wind turbines as the suspension technology dampens the vertical accelerations or shock loads commonplace in conventional vessels in rough seas.
By using the Nauti-Craft Deck Attitude Control System (DACS) at rest the pitch and roll motion of the vessel can be reduced in rough sea conditions.
Metal Shark is a leading US shipbuilder specialising in the design and production of boats and ships for military, law enforcement, fire rescue, and a wide spectrum of commercial applications. At three fully self-contained facilities in Alabama and Louisiana, Metal Shark manufactures vessels in aluminum, steel, and fiberglass, with current capabilities supporting production for vessels up to 300 feet in length.
Incat Crowther is a naval architecture firm offering a diverse range of solutions for demanding applications, with an emphasis on efficiency, reliability, safety and practicality.
Incat Crowther’s success is founded on the model of ‘Robust Ideas’. The company has a proud history of developing forward-thinking concepts on a robust foundation, allowing the company to evolve and offer innovative solutions with best practice engineering, vessel design and client service, consistently delivering optimum results over the long term.
Incat Crowther have also worked closely with Nauti-Craft on the design of 27 meter windfarm service vessel to be put into service in the European offshore wind fields.
