Bibby Line Group has appointed Stephen Bolton to the position of operations director for Bibby Marine Services Limited, a newly formed company serving the marine needs of the offshore renewables market.
Bolton will oversee the build and ongoing operation of Bibby WaveMaster 1, the new walk to work (W2W) service operations vessel (SOV) that will serve offshore wind farm operators. The new vessel was announced in January 2016.
Bibby WaveMaster 1 is the first in a series of SOVs which will operate in the offshore wind farm O&M sector, Bibby said.
Last week, Damen laid the keel for Bibby WaveMaster 1 at its shipyard in Galati, Romania.
The Bibby WaveMaster 1 is a custom-designed 90-metre LOA (Length Overall) SOV, built on a DP-2 (Dynamic Positioning) platform, with a motion compensated access system W2W and a Comfort Class 2 standard accommodation comprising 60 individual en-suite berths.
The vessel is expected to be launched in mid-2017.
“From early on, I realised the step change in safety and operational efficiencies that could be gained from a properly designed Walk to Work SOV,” Bolton said.
“Just as design is critical to the vessel’s success in terms of accommodation and access, I also believe that the ability of the vessel owner to deliver a range of services is vital. The combination of Bibby Line Group’s heritage and the many services it can offer, coupled with the design and build capabilities of Damen, results in a vessel that will be a real game-changer in offshore wind. I am delighted that I am taking a role that is helping to shape the future of offshore wind access.”