Mike Unsworth, the project director of the UK Round 3 Navitus Bay wind farm, named the new South Boats built vessel Seacat Ranger before she joins the impressive Seacat Services fleet based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.
Before the button was pressed to release the champaign bottle to smash on the Bow Mike Unsworth described his concern that the U.K. was not taking full advantage of using local content in projects.
The project director said that it is important that local people and companies are involved as much as possible in these huge offshore projects. He praised the 2 successful companies, Seacat Services and South Boats I.O.W., both of which are based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, for their efforts to promote the local content theme wherever possible. The local supply chain for this industry should be encouraged to succeed wherever and whenever possible.
Seacat Ranger is the latest 24-metre catamaran to join Seacat Services that now operates seven DNV GL class certified workboats throughout Europe, all conforming to the highest operational and safety standards. With total length of 24m this windfarm support/crew transfer vessel can carry total of 15 people, including up to 3 crew members.
Navitus Bay, situated on the western approaches to the port of Southampton off the Isle of Wight, will bring in 1,700 jobs in the construction phase, it will attract activity worth £1.6 billion during the life of the project, and £590 million will be involved on the O and M work after the wind farm is commissioned. Much of this should be able to benefit the local economy.
Decisions on ports to be used for the construction phase will be excepted soon, Portland and Poole are both contenders for this work, while the Isle of Wight port of Yarmouth is possible for the operation and maintenance base.
The project is a partnership of the Dutch Eneco and the French EDF.