Incat Crowther to Design Patrol Vessel for Queensland

Incat Crowther reports it has been chosen to design an aluminum patrol vessel for Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science. The design was put to construction tender and Norman R Wright and Sons has been selected to build the vessel.

The Incat Crowther 17 design was selected for the project based on specific criteria to deliver a high service delivery capacity for the operation, the designer said. This requires excellent seakeeping, reliable cruise speed, low fuel consumption, reliability, ease of maintenance, good product support, aesthetics and value for money.

The new vessel for the Great Barrier Reef Field Management Program will perform a range of tasks including; marine protected area management, island national park management, compliance operations, incident response, diving operations, mooring maintenance and research. The vessel will operate throughout the Queensland Coast and Great Barrier Reef waters to the extent of the Exclusive Economic Zone. Much of this vessels work will be in remote areas of the Great Barrier Reef.

The hull has been specifically designed for the demanding operation. The hull form features a new-generation Z-Bow, large reserve buoyancy and a nacelle to combat rough seas from south-east trade winds. The development process included operational experience from the existing fleet and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to optimize the new solution. The performance was independently verified by rigorous speed and seakeeping tests at the Australian Maritime College’s (AMC) facilities.

The vessel makes the most of the platform size, which is specific to fit its home port berth. The main deck is dominated by an aft working deck with a quick launch and recovery system for a 3.4m RHIB, dive racks, deck winches, BBQ area, a sink and multiple deck lashing points.

Inside the main deck cabin is a wet room, mess, full size galley and chest freezer. The elevated wheelhouse accommodates the captain’s bunk, whilst side doors provide direct access to the foredeck. Under this wheelhouse are a pair of twin cabins. Under the main deck cabin is a pair of single cabins.

The roof includes ample cargo area suitable for up to two 4.5m RHIBs, a deck crane and multiple storage boxes, topping off a highly flexible and functional vessel. A deck crane allows the loading of cargo onto the roof, as well as answering the call for both on-board RHIBs to be launched and recovered easily and safely.

Energy efficiency is aided by roof mounted solar panels to maximize use of available renewable energy and reduce environmental impact.

The construction of the vessel by Norman R Wright and Sons will include high quality materials that minimize weight, while ensuring high strength, robustness and low maintenance. This allows the Incat Crowther 17 to maintain good efficiency whilst packing a high level of capability for the size.

The vessel will be powered by twin MAN i6-850 main engines driving fixed-pitch propellers through ZF V-drive gearboxes. She will have a service speed of 20 knots. The vessel is designed to be autonomous for up to 10 days at sea with a 500 nautical mile range.

Principal Dimensions
Length Overall 61’ / 18.60m
Length Waterline 58’ 9” / 17.90m
Beam Overall 21’ 4” / 6.50m
Draft (hull) 3’ 7” / 1.10m
Draft (prop) 4’ 11” / 1.50m
Depth 8’ 6” / 2.60m
Construction Marine grade aluminum

Capacities
Fuel Oil 1 744 gallons / 6 600 liters
Fresh Water 264 gallons / 1 000 liters
Sullage 106 gallons / 400 liters
Personnel 12 / 24

Propulsion and Performance
Speed (Service) 20 knots
Speed (Max) 28 knots
Main Engines 2 x MAN i6-850 EPA Tier III
Power 2 x 625kW @ 2300rpm
Propulsion 2 x 33’’ FPP
Gearboxes 2 x ZF 510V, 2.222:1

Regulatory
Flag Australia
Class / Survey AMSA DCV 1C/2C