Schottel and Lyon Shipyard partner up for offshore wind

Written by Nick Blenkey
Lyon will get tech support from Schottel

Lyon Shipyard has invested in a 500-square-meter Z-drive maintenance building, and Schottel is providing Lyon with technicians and technical support.

Many of the specialist Jones Act vessels that will be built for the U.S. offshore wind industry will have Schottel propulsion systems.

These vessels will also require periodic drydocking, maintenance and thruster overhauls. In response, Spay, Germany headquartered Schottel and Norfolk, Va.-based Lyon Shipyard have reached an agreement, based on their shared long-term strategy, to support both the existing market and the up-and-coming offshore wind farm industry.

Lyon Shipyard VP
Johnny Gaskins, VP of production at Lyon Shipyard

“Our partnership started with harbor tugs years ago. We overhauled the drive units here under Schottel’s supervision,” says Johnny Gaskins, vice president of production at Lyon Shipyard. “Today, we have a plethora of Z-drives, including spare units and spare parts. We have established capacity here to be able to service Schottel propulsion systems in all power ranges.”

Gary Aucoin, President at Schottel Inc.

“Schottel has extensive experience in the European offshore wind sector and the U.S. commercial workboat market,” says Gary Aucoin, president at Schottel Inc. “Benefitting from the worldwide network of expertise, the new agreement helps us to establish a first in class service base on the East Coast. With Lyon Shipyard, based in Norfolk, Virginia, we have a partner at our side that is located in the heart of the U.S. offshore wind coast. We are thus able to continue the level of service Schottel customers have come to expect.”

Under the agreement, Lyon Shipyard has invested in a 500-square-meter Z-drive maintenance building, and Schottel is providing Lyon with technicians and technical support.

Schottel thrusters for WTIV at Schottel’s Wismar, Germany, plant.
Categories: News, Offshore Wind, Shipyard News Tags: , , , , , ,