Windcat Workboats’ Windgrip system has been selected as one of the eight finalists for RenewableUK’s 2016 Health & Safety Award.
The patent pending system was developed in 2014 to improve the safety of the operation transferring personnel to wind farms, and has the added benefits of reducing stress for both the crew on board the vessel and the personnel transferring, according to Windcat.
By increasing the grip on the boat landing, WindGrip allows transfers in higher wave conditions than are currently possible. The system is usable on all wind farms with a service vessel boat landing. It provides force to the boat landing and reduces the required power from the vessel’s propulsion during operation, which brings down fuel costs and CO2 emissions, Windcat says.
Windcat now has twelve of its 39 offshore crew transfer vessels equipped with the Windgrip system, and the initial trials during development and the use of the system for over 20,000 transfers in the first year of deployment have proven the effectiveness, according to the company.
Neil Clarkson, Managing Director of Windcat Workboats, said: “The nomination recognises the effort we have put in the development of the Windgrip system in order to improve the safety of the offshore operations.”