It is interesting to note that while WFSVs generally operate close to shore in shallower water, they still need to be stable and able to operate in difficult conditions. Thus, most of them are catamarans.
Those catamarans are inherently stable but they must be especially so in the wind farm service role. These impressive craft from renowned Singapore builder are increasingly refined and efficient. It is little wonder, then, that Strategic Marine has built so many of them.
"The design features extended hulls to better carry the additional weight of a hybrid drive system and reduce resistance at cruising speed," Hans Randklev, General Manager – Commercial at Strategic Marine, told Baird Maritime. "Meanwhile, the hybrid drive system itself is a "plug and play" system whereby the stub shafts between the main engines and the gearboxes are replaced by PHT clutches and electric motors offering PTI/PTO."
The vessel is also fitted with 120kWh battery capacity, which can be further extended if required. Randklev said that, as the crewboat is the first hybrid propulsion vessel built by Strategic Marine, it indicates the company's transition towards building more vessels powered by alternative energy sources.
Randklev said the hybrid drive system was the most complex part of the vessel.
"After experiencing some issues during trials and operations, we learned that we needed to allow more time for the commissioning, testing, and crew training stages. However, apart from that, everything went smoothly, thanks to our construction team who are experienced in building this type of vessel."
For Randklev, there are several trends in offshore energy that are noticeable from a shipbuilding point of view.
"Firstly, there is massive focus on reducing carbon emissions and this is something our whole industry is grappling with and therefore needs to resolve. Although some solutions are available, we need better availability of low-carbon energy alternatives and powerplants that can ideally operate on diesel and/or alternative energy sources before we can build vessels that better meet future CO2 emission targets."
There also needs to be a willingness among end users to pay for the higher CAPEX and OPEX costs of these low-carbon solutions before widespread adoption can take place.
Many operators and their end clients are gravitating towards more capable and versatile vessels that offer operational benefits including increased safety, higher speeds, better comfort, wider operating windows, and reduced energy consumption in addition to lower emissions. Strategic Marine is working towards addressing these requirements with the help of advanced design and equipment solutions.
"As shipbuilders, we integrate a myriad of equipment and supplies into a final product," Randklev told Baird Maritime. "However, with the supply chain disruptions over the last several years, we are faced with additional uncertainty in our suppliers' lead times, which can impact our build program. To overcome this challenge, we have made changes to our procurement and project management strategy and processes to avoid adverse impacts to our project deliveries."