The UK authorities has awarded funding to a consortium led by Morek Engineering to design a brand new class of low-carbon set up vessel for the floating offshore wind market.
The consortium, which incorporates Morek Engineering, Solis Marine Engineering, Tope Ocean, First Marine Solutions and Celtic Sea Power, gained the funding by means of the UK Government’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.
The define vessel design will likely be prepared for engagement with classification societies to attain approval in precept by early 2025.
“This will be a first-in-class low-carbon vessel designed specifically to meet the complex installation requirements of floating offshore wind farm moorings and foundations. The project aims to align the detailed requirements of the emerging Floating Wind sector with the objectives of the UK maritime decarbonization agenda.
“Floating offshore wind needs a cost-effective solution to deliver serialized installation of huge moorings and floating foundation systems, whilst minimizing carbon emissions during the construction and maintenance of the next generation wind farms. We are going to develop the next generation of offshore wind construction vessels, meeting the challenge head on,” stated Bob Colclough, MD of Morek Engineering.
According to Ian Godfrey, MD of Tope Ocean, the undertaking will entail a extremely detailed feasibility examine into the necessities of the rising international floating offshore wind sector for a brand new class of low-carbon set up vessel.
“The new vessel will be designed to carry out complex, high-energy construction tasks within the duty cycle constraints of future low and zero-carbon fuel systems,” Godfrey stated.
The newest spherical of Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition is a part of the Department’s UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) program, a $260 million (£206 million) initiative centered on growing the know-how essential to decarbonize the UK home maritime sector.