The news by Siemens & ABP of a GBP 310 million investment in the offshore wind energy industry and the follow on effects for further investment in the offshore wind energy supply chain hit right at the heart of Trawlercat Marine Designs’ (TMD) first step into this industry, the company’s President and CEO said.
The company is currently looking for a Composite Boat Builder in the North East UK and experienced workers ready to progress into production building of the next generation of offshore wind farm support vessels.
TMD informed that it has received support from offshore wind operators, which resulted in an order of a 23.8m Carbon-Cat and a second to follow in two months, depending on TMD’s ability to find a suitable builder in the UK.
TMD’s Carbon-Cat range of foil assisted carbon fibre catamarans have innovative features that will produce a 40+ knot comfortable speed offshore. At the same time a Carbon-Cat will use 50% less fuel and put out 50% lower greenhouse gas emissions than similar size aluminium catamarans.
A fleet of Carbon-Cats can reduce the fuel cost of offshore wind developers and O&M providers’ vessels by hundreds of thousands of pounds a year, and this could ultimately be passed on lowering the cost of offshore wind energy.
Press release, March 27, 2014; Image: TMD