Ian Baylis News

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…

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…

Seacat Services, an offshore support vessel firm, has signed a long-term charter for the catamaran Seacat Magic with Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm Ltd.Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm Ltd. is a joint venture between SSE Renewables (50%) and RWE Renewables (50%) running the namesake wind farm. SSE Renewables operates the offshore wind farm.The 504MW offshore wind farm has been in operation since 2012, generating enough low-carbon renewable energy each year to power the equivalent of over 400…

UK-based offshore crew transfer specialist Seacat Services has ordered two multi-hull crew transfer vessels (CTVs) from naval architects, BAR Technologies, designed in partnership with Chartwell Marine.The first vessel, to be built in the UK, is scheduled for delivered in Q1 2022. The new vessels will be named Seacat Columbia and Seacat Cambria.According to Chartwell, the vessels' design will make them more fuel-efficient and could cut CO2 emissions by up to 600 tonnes per annum…

Offshore support vessel operator Seacat Services has taken up its option to build a second multimillion-dollar Chartwell 24 catamaran for the offshore wind sector. Seacat Rainbow, designed by pioneer in next generation vessel design, Chartwell Marine, will enter construction immediately at Isle of Wight shipyard Diverse Marine.Recent multi-vessel contract wins and charter extensions have led to high levels of forward utilization for the Seacat Services fleet, creating a strong commercial case for further expansion.

Offshore energy support vessel operator Seacat Services has extended the vessel inspection agreement with Specialist Marine Consultants (SMC), the health and safety advisory to the marine and energy industry.The agreement marks the second year that SMC has been contracted to carry out the Marine Inspection for Small Workboats (eMISW) for the 14-strong Seacat Services fleet.The eMISW is an annual assessment of metrics including vessel integrity, stability, and life-saving facilities. A valid eMISW report with at least 6 months left to run is generally a prerequisite for vessels under 24m and 500 tonnes starting contracts in the offshore energy industry.

U.K.-based offshore energy support vessel (OESV) operator Seacat Services has installed advanced remote monitoring systems across its fleet in an effort to glean a new level of insight into the operational performance of its vessels.‘Digitalization’ of operational practices, coupling remote data collection with advanced monitoring, is gaining pace as offshore wind firms throughout the supply chain aim to keep tabs on the performance of project critical infrastructure, optimize O&M and construction procedures…

U.K. based offshore energy support vessel (OESV) operator Seacat Services said it has seen unprecedented growth in demand for crew transfer vessel (CTV) services across 2018 in offshore wind.The fourth quarter of 2018, is, atypically, seeing surging demand for offshore wind crew transfer, according to Seacat Services, as it reports its latest operational figures. In the month of October, transfers and charter days exceeded the sum total for 2017, closely following third quarter figures that surpassed company records to date.Seacat said it is seeing rising demand for larger…

Offshore energy support vessel (OESV) operator, Seacat Services, has secured a further charter agreement at Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm (Beatrice). This latest 2-year contract will see Seacat Mischief and her sister vessel, Seacat Magic, provide logistical support to manufacturer and service provider Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (Siemens Gamesa) throughout the operations and maintenance (O&M) phases. The pair of 23-meter jet propulsion catamarans will be based out of Wick Harbor in Scotland, with Seacat Mischief arriving on site in mid-August, and Seacat Magic in April 2019.

Offshore energy support vessel (OESV) operator Seacat Services has completed its latest investment in its fleet, launching two vessels with the capacity for 24 industrial personnel – the newly-accepted Seacat Enterprise, and the upgraded Seacat Courageous. These boats are among the first wave of offshore energy support vessels to be certified under the new HS-OSC (High Speed – Offshore Service Craft) code, which now allows vessels under 500 metric tons to carry up to 60 industrial personnel.

9th January 2017, Isle of Wight – Class-leading offshore energy service vessel (OESV) operator, Seacat Services, has invested heavily in its operational team and logistical support infrastructure, based on the Isle of Wight. Ahead of the major offshore wind construction phase beginning in April this year, the business has moved into a new purpose-designed headquarters in Cowes and continued to strengthen its support team. The investment represents a further commitment to supporting local industry on the Isle of Wight, in conjunction with successful regional training initiatives and an ongoing, highly productive six-year relationship with local boat builder South Boats IoW.

Offshore energy support vessel operator, Seacat Services, is preparing to launch its first High Speed Utility Vessel (HSUV), Seacat Enterprise. The 27m South Boats IoW catamaran is a new category of vessel for the offshore wind market, designed to provide both rapid crew transfer and wide-ranging logistical support for extended periods at sea. In the maturing European offshore wind sector, the expectations of developers, contractors and project operators with respect to the capabilities of support vessel fleets are becoming increasingly defined.

Seacat Freedom, the latest addition to Seacat Services’ 12-strong fleet, has been dispatched to DONG Energy’s Race Bank offshore wind project following the boat’s official naming ceremony at Seawork 2016. The deployment comes as part of the two year, 4-workboat crew transfer deal secured by Seacat Services in April to support DONG Energy’s operation off the UK’s East coast. Construction at Race Bank will require the highest possible levels of reliability and work boat availability in order to fully commission all 91 turbines by 2018.

Offshore energy crew transfer vessel operator, Seacat Services, has added a new 23m vessel to its fleet. The South Boats IoW built catamaran, named Seacat Mischief, joined the fleet in late November, and is currently being readied for deployment. As the European offshore wind market focuses on the three increasingly distinct areas of deeper water construction, expansion in new markets and existing operations and maintenance activity, vessel operators have to think carefully about their fleet capabilities. Seacat Services’ new 23m vessels, in conjunction with its 21m, 24m and 26m catamarans - and soon to be built 27m boats - can provide a host of different solutions to meet these changing demands.

Offshore energy support vessel operator Seacat Services has placed an order for up to four new vessels with local boat builder South Boats IoW. The DNV-GL class-certified next generation 23- and 27-meter catamarans have been specifically designed to cater for the changing needs of European offshore projects. As the offshore wind industry matures, the expectations of developers and operators regarding energy support vessel availability, reliability and passenger comfort, are continuing to grow. In established markets, such as the U.K. and Germany, larger, deepwater projects are commencing construction, and the latest 27-meter vessel, Seacat Enterprise, will provide a new platform with which to serve these projects.

Evolving procurement processes for U.K. Round 3 offshore wind farms will require a greater number of work streams, personnel with new and differing skills, and the ability to provide a larger suite of services, according to offshore energy support firm Seacat Services. As project developers look to manage cost bases, offshore wind vessel procurement packages will likely demand specialist expertise from operators that include a range of services encompassing not only offshore crew transfer, but also marine coordination, port logistics and technical personnel.

Class-leading offshore energy crew transfer vessel operator Seacat Services today launches Seacat Courageous, the firm’s second 26-metre crew transfer vessel, as it continues to support the growth of the European offshore wind market. The expectations of offshore wind developers and operators when it comes to crew transfer vessel availability, reliability and passenger comfort are continuing to increase as the industry matures. Concurrently, construction is commencing on large, deep-water project sites further from shore that demand high levels of seakeeping performance and greater capacity for both fuel and equipment. Seacat Courageous…

Seacat Services, has unveiled its first vessel capable of carrying up to 24 industrial personnel. Seacat Courageous, a 26m high speed catamaran launched in February this year, will be the first of the Seacat Services fleet to benefit from the ability to carry more than 12 persons on board who are not engaged in the operation of the vessel. Since the early beginnings of the offshore wind crew transfer industry, many operators of smaller high-speed craft have been bound to carrying 12 or fewer persons.

Following the completion of preliminary sea trials, offshore energy support vessel operator Seacat Services unveiled the British-built Seacat Intrepid, the first DNV GL certified 26-meter crew transfer vessel to benefit from a unique three-year offshore wind farm workboat tank testing research and development program that capitalized on an improved understanding of wind, wave and weather conditions within European waters. Seacat Intrepid boasts a fuel capacity of 26,000 liters…