Pioneering next-generation naval architect, Chartwell Marine, and independent technical consultancy, Seaspeed Marine Consulting, have been awarded a prize by the Carbon Trust's Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA) for an innovative vessel design proposal. The OWA competition aims to facilitate the development of technologies aiding the ongoing de-carbonisation of Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) in the offshore wind industry.

The funding -  £70,000 of a total  £300,000 awarded to four winners - will be used to make the design proposal a reality. During the project, Chartwell will undertake the vessel design work, while Seaspeed will carry out R&D, testing and hull form development. 

CTVs are an integral part of offshore wind activity, providing the backbone of operations & maintenance in the sector. By increasing the cost-effectiveness of vessel operations, the offshore wind industry is able to further consolidate the cost savings that have seen it significantly reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCoE).

The work program will run to May 2020, during which time the design will be modelled, designed, tested and commercialised by Chartwell. This will lead to opportunities for vessel operators and project owners to benefit from new, cutting edge vessel technologies.

The designs submitted were assessed primarily for their capacity to reduce emissions, but also for their cost-effectiveness and safety advantages. This aims to spur further innovation in the industry, while enabling the best technologies and designs to be promoted. 

Chartwell is able to draw on years of naval architecture experience in the offshore sector to develop designs that are safe, cost-effective and sustainable - while Seaspeed has proven experience in hull form development for challenging powering, manoeuvring and seakeeping requirements.  

Andy Page, Managing Director of Chartwell Marine, said: "The scope of the competition was broad, which gave us the flexibility to explore new avenues in vessel design. We agree strongly with the Carbon Trust and OWA partners that sustainability should be a focus for support vessels in offshore wind - and this goes hand in hand with increased efficiencies across the board."

"At Chartwell, we have a strong track record in pioneering vessel designs that not only are ready for new hybrid technologies, but are also specified from the outset with efficiency in mind, helping low carbon industries like offshore wind increase their cost competitiveness."

Dan Kyle Spearman, Manager, Offshore Wind, the Carbon Trust, added: "We are looking forward to supporting the development of the four winning technologies, which have the potential to reduce emissions and fuel consumption in the offshore wind industry. SMEs, like Chartwell Marine and Seaspeed, have an important role to play in driving innovation, bringing their products and skills to support the cost reduction and scaling of offshore wind."

Stephen Phillips, Managing Director, Seaspeed Marine Consulting, said: "The maritime industry as a whole has come a long way in reducing emissions. As the issue of climate change becomes more prominent, we are always looking to find new ways of creating cost-effective solutions for the emissions problem. We are honoured to be able to use the award from the Carbon Trust to bring our latest R&D technologies into practice."

The OWA is a collaboration between the Carbon Trust and nine industry partners, who between them account for 76% of the installed offshore wind capacity in Europe. The initiative aims to drive down the costs of offshore wind energy and advise on best practice in health and safety. 

Chartwell Marine | www.chartwellmarine.com

Seaspeed | www.seaspeed.co.uk