BMT Nigel Gee wins Wind Farm Support Vessel design contract

Southampton, U.K., based BMT Nigel Gee Ltd. is to supply the design for the construction of eight new 20 m Wind Farm Support Vessels, including options, to be built by Australian shipbuilder Strategic Marine for Njord Offshore Ltd., a subsidiary of Norse Management U.K.

The contract follows the signing of a teaming Agreement between Strategic Marine and BMT in September last year and reinforces Strategic Marine’s ability to provide offshore wind farm support vessels into the European market.

Developed from BMT’s established range of Wind Farm Support Vessels, the Njord Offshore vessels will be 20 m in length with a beam of 7 m, and will be powered by two MTU 8V2000M72 diesel engines with fixed pitch propellers and capable of speeds in excess of 25 knots. The vessels will be built to the DNV Wind Farm Service 1 notation and will be delivered later this year.

Ed Dudson, BMT Nigel Gee’s Technical Director, says: “These 20 m vessels are the first in a range of Offshore Windfarm Support Vessel designs developed by BMT specifically for Strategic Marine. It confirms BMT’s ability to offer cutting edge designs for this fast growing market and demonstrates yet another success for the specialised vessel design team at BMT Nigel Gee.”

February 20, 2011