9/19/2024
Seacat Columbia Crew Transfer Vessel designed with VIA Maris Njørdal
Built by Diverse Marine, using our premium VIA Maris Njørdal alloy and designed in partnership by BAR Technologies / Chartwell Marine Ltd, the 30 m crew transfer vessel “Seacat Columbia” features a highly optimized multihull design. It consists of a main hull with 2 waterjets and a stabilizing outrigger – a concept well known from the time of the ancient Polynesian sailors. The main part of the aluminium hull is left unpainted and requires only low maintenance, which contributes to cost-effective operation of the vessel.
Country: United Kingdom
Technology: BAR Technologies
Naval Architect: Chartwell Marine Ltd.
Builder: Diverse Marine, Isle of Wight
Hull and superstructure: Aluminium (VIA Maris Njørdal H111)
Thickness: 4/5/6/8/10 mm
Sheet Quantity: 118 plates of 2000 x 6000 mmSeacat Columbia: Increasing stability while decreasing emissions
"The vessel was designed to address the two most pressing challenges of the offshore wind industry: vessel efficiency - and therefore emissions reduction - and the comfort in transfer. In the first instance, many of the major offshore wind developers and owners are now beginning to look at the fossil fuel consumption in wind farm service vessels," BAR Technologies said.
The Seacat Columbia aluminium vessel is designed to minimize vessel motion and fuel burn – leading to an average increase in stability across all sea states of up to 70% and a reduction in total emissions of 30% over a typical operational profile.
Additionally, BAR Technologies stated the highly innovative vessel is able to operate in more challenging conditions than the current catamaran designs and offshore wind turbines may be serviced over a greater number of sea states, ensuring wind farm owners have more opportunities to better and more cost-effectively provide turbine maintenance.
Crew transfer vessel made of VIA Maris Njørdal plates
Our lightweight VIA Maris Njørdal solution offers 15% higher strength than standard marine alloy 5083, providing the ideal material properties for the innovative design of the Seacat Columbia. The high strength-to-weight ratio of this alloy enables a more robust and durable construction for the demanding and long-term use of the crew transfer vessel. At the same time, the material savings make the vessel lighter, which in turn improves fuel efficiency and reduces overall emissions.
Due to their efficiency and robustness, the VIA Maris Njørdal plates are the perfect choice for this high-performance vessel. The natural corrosion resistance of the 5083 alloy eliminates the need to paint the hull above water, which not only lowers maintenance costs, but also reduces the environmental impact by avoiding the use of harmful paints and chemicals. The proven quality of the 5083 alloy also pays off during processing, as it is easy to form and ideal for welding.
The construction kit, made from our premium marine sheets, was supplied by one of our stockists in cooperation with a cutting centre that prepared all the necessary components by laser cutting.
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