This magnificent fast, versatile and very effective aluminium crew/supply boat is the latest in a long line of similar craft built in the Breton company's Vietnamese yard located near Ho Chi Minh.
Stylish, capable and very efficient, the vessel was built for Saudi Arabian owners and will operate in Middle Eastern waters. She will, like her Piriou predecessors, undoubtedly do very well.
"It is a heavy duty vessel with a number of modifications in fulfilment of owner specifications, especially increased speed thanks to a new propulsion system," Piriou told Baird Maritime. "This then enabled the vessel to exceed expectations in speed and performance."
The builder added that the crewboat is highly versatile, boasting key attributes such as improved fuel economy, longer range, enhanced manoeuvrability, and large cargo-carrying capacity.
"We are glad that despite the complicated situation with pandemic-related lockdowns everywhere as well as international travel restrictions, we still managed to deliver this vessel on time."
Piriou remarked that a succession of newbuilding contracts were awarded over the past year. The types of orders received by the company gave a preview of the direction in which the naval architecture segment was headed.
"We are seeing shipowners' growing requirement for solutions that promote transport decarbonisation," the builder told Baird Maritime. "We are looking at the possible integration of technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells, hybrid propulsion arrangements, and wind-assist propulsion especially for merchant vessels."