Kockums building high-tech wind farm vessels

The Swiss naval architect firm of Fintry Marine Design has placed its first order for a CarboCAT MPV23, an offshore wind farm service catamaran, with Kockums? Karlskrona Yard in Sweden.

The Fintry designed catamaran will be the first new construction unit in a series of ten of latest generation MPVs and is scheduled to be delivered in October 2010. In a departure from the normal aluminium built catamarans, these vessels will be built using an innovative sandwich structure of carbon fibres.

By using high-tech composite materials, such as carbon and aramid, the net weight and also the displacement resistance of the vessel is reduced. Compared with conventional aluminium ships, Fintry claims that significantly reduced fuel consumption can be achieved for the same speed. Together with the longer life and the lower maintenance costs required, the ship owner can considerably reduce operating costs and help the environment.

“This new series has been specially developed by the partnership of Fintry Marine and Kockums in association with the offshore wind industry. It consists of an 18 m crew catamaran, a 20 m service catamaran and the 23 m multi-purpose catamaran, with a further 38 m vessel under development,” Klaus Vorwerk, Managing Director Fintry Marine Design, said.

The ships will be built to DNV class and are designed to operate equally well in coastal areas as in wind parks up to 100 nautical miles offshore. The two companies have been working together since June 2009 to cooperate in marketing, development and construction.