MPI Offshore acquires additional wind-turbine-installation vessel

MPI Offshore announces the acquisition of Victoria Mathias from RWE Innogy. Victoria Mathias is a 2011-built wind-turbine-installation vessel, designed to transport, lift and install wind turbines and their foundations. Key features include a 1,000-tonne-capacity main crane, a maximum operating depth of 45 metres and the ability to jack with 4,350 tonnes of cargo on board, the company said in its press release.
 
Victoria Mathias will bring valuable added strength and breadth to our MPI fleet, creating new opportunities and enabling us to provide a wider range of services to clients, both existing and new. In addition to the vessel itself, MPI has also purchased a range of installation equipment, including a pile hammer, pile gate, specialist lifting tackle and numerous vessel spares, all of which complement the ship’s operations. MPI personnel have been impressed by the performance of Victoria Mathias during jacket foundation and 6.2 MW turbine installation processes and by the installation rates achieved. We see this as an excellent opportunity to combine the experience and synergies of both organisations and enhance MPI’s future business performance.
 
Following closely in the traditions of the existing MPI fleet (MPI Resolution, MPI Adventure and MPI Discovery), Victoria Mathias will be renamed “MPI Enterprise” and will operate under the Dutch flag. The vessel has been delivered to MPI in early January 2015 and will continue her current charter at RWE Innogy’s offshore windfarm Nordsee Ost off the German coast.