BMT has been awarded a design contract for three new Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) to be operated at east coast wind farms in the US.
Designed by the company’s team of specialists, the 27m CTV design features BMT’s latest developments to maximise safety, performance, seakeeping, and fuel economy. Optimised for operating conditions on the US east coast, the design features a light weight Z-bow hull form to improve seakeeping characteristics as well as offer high efficiency thereby reducing emissions.
To ensure the safest possible transfer operations, the vessel utilises a latest generation Active Fender System (AFS), designed and customised by BMT, to facilitate both monopile and conventional landing tube transfers. Fitted to the bow of the vessel, the AFS operates as a suspension system which reduces impact loads and dampens the initial engagements with the turbine tower, guaranteeing successful landing in the most difficult weather conditions, and the layout is such that it can also accommodate the latest GUS technician hoisting system for increased safety. The vessel has been designed to maximise crew and passenger comfort in challenging conditions, the large superstructure being fitted on resilient mounts that absorb noise and vibration.
The vessel will be utilised to carry and deliver cargo, with a large foredeck area. The vessel is propelled by efficient quad Volvo IPS 900 units which will offer speeds up to 26 knots, combined with bollard thrust in excess of 15t while maintaining manoeuvrability. The three vessels will be built by Senesco in the USA under ABS classification meeting USCG sub chapter L regulations.
James Lewis, Sector Lead for offshore wind vessels, BMT specialised ship design team, said: “This is a fantastic project, it shows that BMT’s CTV design is very well-suited to the booming wind energy market in the USA. With over 60 vessels operating on wind farms around the world, our experience has allowed us to come up with a design that is very well tailored to the requirements, whilst providing the assurance that it will perform for the crews and technicians day to day in often challenging conditions.”
