E.ON has awarded Great Yarmouth based Alicat Workboats a contract to build four new state of the art vessels to support offshore wind generation. The first to be built will serve E.ON’s Robin Rigg Wind Farm off the Solway Firth.
Alicat Workboats was established in 2009 in response to a growing demand for vessels to provide operation and maintenance support in the offshore wind sector. As a neighbouring firm to E.ON’s Scroby Sands Wind Farm base, their close proximity means the vessels performance can be tested in true life situations.
Alicat have now started to build the new 19m high speed wind farm service vessel, and delivery is due mid 2013. The bespoke aluminium catamarans are the very latest by Global Marine Design to be built at Alicat’s yard and will offer greater loading capability across the fore deck, as well as a well equipped aft deck. A redesigned saloon and island wheelhouse arrangement will also feature. Powered by two MAN V12 engines and jet propulsion via twin Rolls Royce Kamewa Jets, the workboats will be capable of 30 knots.
Steve Thacker, General Manager of Alicat Workboats , said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be working with E.ON on this project. At Alicat we’re as committed to the aftercare of the vessels as we are to building them in the first place and we look forward to forming a close working relationship during the construction of these vessels and beyond.”
Jon Beresford, Offshore Wind Operations Manager at E.ON, said: “Not only are Alicat very local to our Scroby Sands operational base, they also offer a quality product with through-life service which as vessel owners is extremely important to us. Their capability for a comprehensive after sales support makes them so much more than boat builders and we’re very much looking forward to working together.”
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Press release, January 03, 2013; Image: alicatworkboats