Chartwell to design hybrid for U.S. East Coast operation

Chartwell catamaran design being tank tested

Back in October last year, U.K. naval architectural consultancy Chartwell Marine unveiled a crew transfer vessel design aimed at the U.S. offshore wind market (see earlier story). Now the firm reports that it has been selected to design a new low-emission hybrid catamaran workboat to be deployed on the U.S. East Coast. Its contract includes involvement in the selection of a U.S. shipyard to build the vessel.

Chartwell Marine and its partners won the design project following a competitive tender launched by what is identified as “a leading New England institution.”

The 65 ft hybrid has been designed to meet EPA Tier 4 emission standards and will set a benchmark for vessel operators and boat builders in the U.S. and further afield.

The firm says it was selected on the basis of its track record in developing high-performance catamarans and hull forms for the offshore wind sector, and low emission, hybrid architecture.

In order to provide operators with these next generation hybrid craft, says Chartwell, there are a number of design challenges to overcome, requiring specialist naval architecture and design expertise.

These design considerations can be by an advanced new catamaran hull form that has been optimized via Computational Flow Dynamics (CFD) modeling, enabling maximum maneuverability and stability resulting in a smoother and safer ride.

“To be effective in next generation vessel design, Chartwell Marine has invested in the latest state of the art techniques in tank testing and computational fluid dynamics modeling,” said Andy Page, Naval Architect and Managing Director, Chartwell Marine. “This is enabling us to create signature designs that will keep existing and future operators ahead of the curve when it comes to regulatory compliance and meeting evolving operational requirements.”