One such vessel was Valhalla of Whitstable, a 15m craft built by the Aluminium Boatbuilding Company Ltd (ABC) of Hayling Island UK for Herne Bay based Excel Marine Services Ltd.
One such vessel was Valhalla of Whitstable, a 15m craft built by the Aluminium Boatbuilding Company Ltd (ABC) of Hayling Island UK for Herne Bay based Excel Marine Services Ltd.
Excel Marine has been specialising in the offshore windfarm industry since the initial survey works for Thames Estuary sites in 2002. It presently runs the aluminium catamarans Valhalla and Valkyrie and awaits delivery of the first of two 17.5m newbuilds early next year, its larger size better suited to the Round 3 sites further offshore.
Valhalla is from ABC"s Catfish Crewcats range, with each vessel tailored to the customer"s requirement by an in-house design team using the latest 3D software to produce a "walkthrough" of the craft long before it goes into production. The vessels are capable of transferring engineers to offshore wind turbines in sea conditions of greater than 2.5m significant wave height. Most Catfish Crewcats are coded MCA cat 2 with certification for 12 passengers and three crew.
Powered by twin 500hp Iveco marine diesels driving conventional shafts and propellers, Valhalla has a top speed of 22 knots and cruises at 19 knots. It features a large aft deck area for cargo and a gangway for easy access to the bow, where non-slip decking, steps and railings enable safe transfer to turbine towers.
Upon delivery, Valhalla went straight to work for Tideway on the Thornton Bank windfarm 20 miles from the Belgian coast off Ostend. Cable installation works were conducted round the clock, with two crews alternating between work on board Valhalla and rest on board an offshore accommodation barge. The vessel then returned to the UK and started installing wind turbine transition sections at the Gunfleet Sands windfarm for Danish contractor MT Hojgaard, in a contract which finished just before Seawork. Directly after Seawork, Valhalla started another project for MT Hojgaard at the Inner Dowsing offshore windfarm, where its primary duty will be dive support.
ABC is now well underway with the hull Excel"s 17.5m Vulcan, due next February, which will be powered by twin Caterpillar C18s rated at 875hp each for 26 knots top and 22 knots cruising. The wheelhouse will be set farther back to allow more cargo carrying on the bow, where an 8t crane will also reside. The nearly identical Viking will follow towards the end of 2010.
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