Delivery of HST Marine’s British-built hybrid electric crew transfer vessel highlights expansion of UK shipbuilding

UK Minister for Dept. for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy leads naming ceremony for HST Frances, celebrating the UK maritime industry’s role in pioneering the development of low carbon solutions to support global offshore wind industry.

HST Marine has welcomed the arrival of its second UK- built hybrid-electric crew transfer vessel (CTV), HST Frances, at a ceremony attended by Nusrat Ghani MP, UK Minister of State (Dept. for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) and senior British maritime industry leaders. The event highlighted Britain’s role in pioneering low-carbon vessels to support domestic and global offshore wind operations.

HST Frances is HST Marine’s second hybrid electric CTV. The 25-metre vessels can carry 12-24 industrial personnel, and its hybrid electric propulsion system cuts fuel consumption by 30% compared to similar CTVs powered by diesel engines. This follows the delivery of HST Ella in 2021, the industry’s first vessel of this type and recipient of the 2022 EMCAs Green Technology Award. Both vessels were designed by UK naval architect Chartwell Marine and built at UK shipbuilder Diverse Marine on the Isle of Wight. The HST Frances will also be British crewed for domestic projects.

“As wind power becomes an integral part of the net zero energy mix, the growth of sustainable offshore wind operations relies on strengthening the efficiency and environmental performance of their value chains. Meeting the rising demand for new, clean support vessels is part of the solution, and we are already taking a leading role on this,” says Tom Nevin, HST Marine CEO and head, Purus Wind.

Guests included Petra Wilkinson CBE, Director of Maritime for the Department of Transport, Robin Mortimer, the CEO of Port of London Authority, Rear Admiral Rex Cox, CEO of Home Shipbuilding Scheme, and the Rt Hon. Lord Mountevans, Chairman of the Baltic Exchange and Member of the House of Lords.

HST Marine was the first company to provide near-zero emissions operations for offshore wind projects in the UK, Belgium, France and Germany, demonstrating the ability of British companies to compete in the international offshore wind market. In the UK, its fleet has supported windfarms including Moray East and East Anglia 1 for companies including Vestas & SGRE. Purus Wind also provides commissioning/servicing (C/SOVs) to its offshore wind customers and as part of its ongoing expansion, plans to order another 4-8 C/SOVs.

The company’s management team is based in Swansea and is focused on continuing to create jobs for UK seafarers and onshore personnel, in line with the UK’s Levelling up policy. HST currently employs 18 people in the UK, recruited from UK trade schools and universities. Its UK personnel are ex-seafarers, Armed Forces veterans and university graduates in Swansea, Newcastle, East Anglia and London.