Chartwell News

UK-based offshore vessel designer Chartwell Marine has started the construction of its new Brevity Class crew transfer vessel (CTV) at the Diverse Marine shipyard, becoming the latest in its growing pipeline of new vessel builds to supply the global offshore wind market.Chartwell Marine’s current new build pipeline now exceeds 15 vessels across six local shipyards – with 14 offshore wind vessels launched and operational at major offshore wind farms, including two in U.S. waters.The company’s latest CTV entered build in March 2024…

Palatka, Fla. shipyard St. Johns Ship Building announced it has delivered WINDEA Courageous, the first of three Jones Act compliant crew transfer vessels (CTV) ordered by WINDEA CTV, a partnership between Hornblower Wind and MidOcean Wind.The 30-meter-long WINDEA Courageous and its sister vessels are designed by Incat Crowther and each have capacity to carry 24 technicians, plus six crew. The Bureau Veritas-classed vessels will be propelled by quad Volvo IPS propulsion units driven by Volvo DI13 main engines.

Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Agency's new Lynx Catamaran recently went on sea trials off the coast of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.Designed by Chartwell Marine and built by Goodchild Marine Services, the newbuild, Protector, has an overall length of 16.2 meters and a beam of 6.5 meters. Powered by Volvo Penta D8 IMO Tier III compliant engines, the vessel delivers a top speed of 22 knots and a service speed of 18 knots.The vessel will protect inshore fisheries from Haile Sand Fort in the north to Felixstowe in the south…

The November edition of Marine News magazine highlighted a selection of the most notable American newbuilds delivered of 2023—from a first-of-its-kind green towboat, to the lead vessel in a series of game-changing ships to train U.S. mariners.Empire StateAs the lead vessel in a series of five new training ships being constructed to serve America's state maritime academies, Empire State is easily one of the most important U.S.-built vessels delivered in recent memory.Built by Philly Shipyard for the U.S.

UK-based offshore vessel designer Chartwell Marine has partnered with a designer and shipbuilder of specialized vessels, VARD, to introduce the Midi-SOV: a "revolutionary" 55-meter offshore wind craft. "Coming to both the US and European markets in 2024, the vessel represents the combined expertise of the respective crew transfer vessel (CTV) and SOV design leaders — providing a brand-new solution to the ongoing challenge of expanding wind power across the globe. The vessel is designed Jones Act-compliant…

U.S. offshore vessel operator, builder and owner Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) is constructing the U.S. offshore wind industry’s first ever mini-crew transfer vessel (CTV), designed by U.K.-based Chartwell Marine.Set to enter service in summer 2024, the 39-foot catamaran will serve as a daughter craft deployed from ECO's ECO Edison, the first U.S.-built service operation vessel (SOV). The vessel has capacity for up to 12 personnel and is designed to be deployed from ECO Edison during extended offshore stays…

Derecktor Shipyards NY in Mamaroneck, N.Y. announced it has delivered a new hybrid research catamaran to the University of Vermont (UVM). The innovative vessel, Marcelle Melosira, will serve as a floating classroom and laboratory, enabling advanced research operations and hands-on educational programs.Designed by Chartwell Marine and built in collaboration with UVM and Chartwell, the 64-foot research catamaran has been crafted to fulfill the functions outlined by UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources.

UK-based offshore vessel operator North Star has awarded a new contract to Great Yarmouth-based shipbuilding Alicat Workboats Ltd for the construction of two new offshore wind daughter craft.The hybrid-propulsion workboats 5 & 6, designed by Chartwell Marine, will be integrated into North Star’s renewable fleet. They will complement the two new SPS 120 CSOVs under construction with Vard. The crafts combine diesel and electric outboard propulsion.Last week, North Star delivered…

Offshore energy support vessel operator Seacat Services has partnered up with marine engineering firm Mainstay Marine Solutions, to build the 20th vessel in its fleet, and the fifth Seacat Chartwell Ambitious design.The partnership comes amidst ongoing complexities in the UK shipbuilding market, where skill shortages and a lack of financial support from the UK Government have driven up manufacturing costs and derailed local content goals across the industry, Seacat Services, which specializes in offshore crew transfers…

UK-based offshore vessel owner North Star this week held a naming ceremony for the Grampian Tyne service operation vessel (SOV) which will be deployed at work at the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm in the UK.The vessel was named at a ceremony at Equinor’s Port of Tyne base in the North East of England (UK), ahead of its early handover to the Dogger Bank Wind Farm.The traditional good luck celebration, involving the customary champagne bottle being smashed against the hull of the ship…

Aluminium vessel builder Strategic Marine has signed a memorandum of understanding with Purus Wind’s UK-based crew transfer vessel owner HST Marine, to build three Brevity-class crew transfer vessels. The agreement binds the two parties to negotiations on a vessel building contract for the Chartwell Marine-designed 27-meter catamarans. The Brevity-class designs, launched in June 2022, are designed to serve the offshore wind support vessel market.The Brevity class CTVs, able to accommodate 32 people…

With travel and tourism nearing pre-2020 levels, and transit systems benefiting from a return to work, passenger vessels have seen renewed activity. In its year-end review, John Groundwater, Executive Director of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), which advocates for the sector in Washington, D.C. wrote: “As we are nearing the end of the calendar year, we are delighted to report that our industry, and our members, are reporting far and wide that they have experienced very…

Norwegian offshore service operation vessel provider and operator Edda Wind has launched the Boreas Worker daughter craft crew transfer vessel (CTV).The vessel, designed by Chartwell Marine, has been built by Alicat Workboats, on behalf of Astilleros Gondan. The daugter craft will be used to support the commissioning and construction of the first phase of the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm.The 12-meter CTV will work in conjunction with Edda Wind’s fleet of hydrogen-ready commissioning…

Offshore crew transfer firm HST Marine has welcomed the arrival of its new UK-built hybrid-electric crew transfer vessel (CTV), HST Frances.The ceremony was attended by Nusrat Ghani MP, UK Minister of State (Dept. for Business and Trade and the Cabinet Office) and senior British maritime industry leaders.HST Frances is HST Marine’s second hybrid electric CTV. The 25-meter vessels can carry 12-24 industrial personnel, and its hybrid electric propulsion system cuts fuel consumption by 30% compared to similar CTVs powered by diesel engines, the company, owned by Purus Marine, said Friday.

Palatka, Fla. shipbuilder St. Johns Ship Building held a keel laying ceremony on January 18 for the second in a series of up six new aluminum crew transfer vessels (CTVs) for Rhode Island-based Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT) to service the offshore wind farm industry."This is another milestone for Atlantic Wind Transfers as we lay the keel for our second crew transfer vessel at St. John’s as AWT continues to expand its CTV fleet to support offshore wind construction and O&M in the U.S., said AWT founder Charles A. Donadio Jr.

Vessel designer Chartwell Marine has won of a £320,000 Innovate UK Smart Grant which will enable Chartwell and consortium partners — Boat Electric & Electronics and Engineered Marine Systems — to develop and test the feasibility of "a market-first" methanol-fuelled vessel design, with applications in the offshore wind, commercial workboat, and leisure sectors."Methanol fuel presents a significant opportunity to decarbonise in a maritime industry which is confronted with the debate over sustainable fuel alternatives, as it can be produced from biomass and can carry a near-zero carbon footprint.

Singapore-based shipbuilding company Strategic Marine has signed an order to build three ‘Brevity’-class crew transfer vessels (CTVs) from Chartwell Marine.The Brevity-class 27-meter catamaran design forms part of Chartwell’s new offshore wind support vessel range, which has seen multiple orders in the UK and USA since its launch in June 2022.The Brevity-class crew transfer vessel has a capacity of 32 personnel. Multiple crew configurations enable flexibility in space planning and enhance the comfort necessary during long offshore stays…

St. Johns Ship Building earlier this month began building the first in a series of new crew transfer vessels (CTV) for Rhode Island-based Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT).The Palatka, Fla. shipbuilder held a keel laying ceremony on September 8, marking the start of construction for the first of six new 24m aluminum catamarans that will AWT will use to service the U.S. offshore wind industry.AWT announced the orders with St. Johns Ship Building in August, revealing that the first two vessels are expected to be delivered in the summer of 2023 and January 2024…

Marine engineering consultancy BAR Technologies on Wednesday held the official launch of its first BARTech 30 crew transfer vessel (CTV) from its premises on The Camber, Portsmouth, UK.BAR Technologies, Chair, Martin Whitmarsh - also Chair of the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership – led his BAR Technologies colleagues to officially hand over the first vessel of its type to its owner Seacat Services.As part of the launch, the vessel was officially named ‘Seacat Columbia’ by Ian Baylis…

Rhode Island-based offshore wind farm crew transfer vessel company Atlantic Wind Transfers has ordered six crew transfer vessels to be built at St. Johns Ship Building in Palatka, Fla. The first two vessels, of the Chartwell Ambitious-class design, are expected to be delivered in the summer of 2023 and January 2024, with four further builds in the pipeline. The 25.2-meter aluminum catamarans will each have capacity to transport 24 personnel to and from turbines.Charles A. Donadio…

Purus Marine on Wednesday announced the acquisition of HST Marine, a UK-based provider of Crew Transfer Vessels (“CTVs”) to the offshore wind industry.HST’s fleet of includes one of the industry’s first battery hybrid CTVs, the Chartwell-designed HST Ella.Post-acquisition, Purus Wind, Purus Marine's offshore wind business, will employ approximately 100 people in the U.K. and Norway with engineering, vessel management, and chartering expertise."Purus Wind will offer its customers battery hybrid CTVs…

UK-based offshore vessel operator North Star has awarded a £2 million contract to Great Yarmouth firm Alicat Workboats to build two new Chartwell designed daughter craft.The vessels will be added to North Star's new renewables fleet which is bound for the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm, located off the North East coast of England, from next year.Last September, Alicat Workboats won a contract to build an initial two daughter crafts for the offshore wind service vessel operator. The vessels have a hybrid powered design, developed by Chartwell Marine, in collaboration with North Star.

North Star’s new UK-built hybrid-powered daughter craft, specifically designed for the offshore wind market, has been launched at a naming ceremony held at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht club in Lowestoft, adjacent to the firm’s regional operations hub. The vessel was christened ‘Grace Darling’ in honor of a famous lighthouse keeper’s daughter from the North East of England who risked her life in 1838 to save the stranded survivors of a wrecked merchant ship traveling from Hull to Dundee.