UK offshore support company NR Marine Services has taken delivery of the second catamaran crewboat in a series built by Isle of Wight-based Diverse Marine. NR Alpha is a sister vessel to NR Predator, which was handed over by Diverse Marine in March this year.
The vessel boasts a hull form that incorporates an ultra-fine entry for excellent head sea performance and tower access but with high reserves of buoyancy above the main chine. This allows for equally good following and stern quarter seakeeping performance.
The new crewboat has an LOA of 27.6 metres, a beam of 9.8 metres, a draught of 2.4 metres, a depth of five metres, and space for 24 technicians and four crewmembers. A 100-square-metre open deck can carry two 10-foot containers or cargo totalling 30 tonnes. The open deck also has a crane and a dedicated area for dangerous goods.
In-built accelerometers and motion sensors learn the vessel's behaviours and use artificial intelligence to inform the master of the optimum service speed for given conditions. This is to ensure that during operation, the technicians are in the safest possible environment.
