Seacat Services confirms option to build second Chartwell 24 catamaran
Class-leading offshore energy support vessel (OESV) operator, Seacat Services says it has taken up its option to build a second multi-million-pound Chartwell 24 catamaran for the offshore wind sector. Seacat Rainbow, designed by pioneer in next generation vessel design, Chartwell Marine, will enter construction immediately at Isle of Wight shipyard Diverse Marine.
Recent multi-vessel contract wins and charter extensions from valued long-term customers have led to high levels of forward utilisation for the Seacat Services fleet, creating a strong commercial case for further expansion. Seacat Rainbow will join sister Chartwell 24 vessel Seacat Weatherly, which is currently in build at Diverse Marine, on track for delivery and due to be completed in April 2020.
With the next generation of OESVs now progressing from the drawing board into build, vessel operators are making decisions that will determine the future make-up of offshore wind fleets in Europe, the USA and Asia. Seacat Services’ second order of the Chartwell 24 demonstrates utmost confidence from the OESV operator that the Chartwell Marine design is best-placed to meet the logistical demands of project construction and operation.
Andy Page, Managing Director, Chartwell Marine, said, “The offshore wind sector is at a pivotal point, where lessons learnt from development and operation to date must quickly be applied to achieve true global scale. Seacat Services continues to demonstrate that it is not willing to compromise on the attributes that make a safe, reliable and efficient offshore energy support vessel.”
Ian Baylis, Managing Director of Seacat Services, added, “Chartwell Marine’s pioneering approach, backed up by strong technical R&D expertise and extensive dialogue with operators and wind farm stakeholders, gives us enormous confidence in the design. The investment case for this second vessel was clear cut, and we look forward to bringing both Rainbowand Weatherlyinto the fleet to show how this translates into the highest levels of performance and service for our customers.”
Seacat Rainbow will be identical in specification to Seacat Weatherly, showing Seacat Services’ belief in the design and ingredients which make up the Chartwell 24. These include a number of market-first innovations to optimise the safety of crew and cargo transfers, and maximise the performance and technical availability of the vessel – ultimately translating to more ‘time on turbine’ for wind farm technicians.