Damen Shipyards books order for two Twin Axe wind farm support vessels

Damen Shipyards and SeaZip Offshore Service have signed a contract covering two Fast Crew Suppliers of Damen’s  2610 Twin Axe catamaran type. The vessels will be built at Damen Shipyards Singapore and delivery is set for the third quarter of 2012.

The first FCS 2610 was delivered early 2011. The design offers reduced peak accelerations of up to 75 percent, reduced added resistance in waves of up to 60 percent and has already transferred maintenance crew to offshore wind turbines in wave heights of 1.9 m.

Jan Reier Arends and Sander Schakelaar, managing owners of the established (container) transport company JR Shipping, founded SeaZip Offshore Service in 2010 to provide fit-for-purpose service vessels for the offshore wind industry . SeaZip will draw on the 18 years of experience and services of JR Shipping, including vessel development and management.

The FCS 2610, already in use at offshore wind farms, matched Seazip’s requirements as to safety, transport capacity, comfort, and performance levels in harsh weather conditions.

With offshore wind farms being built at ever-increasing distances from the shore, the FCS 2610 offers the advantages of a range over 1000 nautical miles, a 20,000 liter fuel tank (for sailing and transferring purposes) and accommodations for four crew and 12 industrial personnel.

According to Mr. Arends the Twin Axe catamaran is “an excellent design, especially for staying out at sea for longer periods, while not compromising crew comfort.”

November 29, 2011