BMT Subsidiary to Design Wind Farm Support Vessels for European Market

BMT Group said Monday that its subsidiary, BMT Nigel Gee, will provide the design for eight new Windfarm Support Vessels to be constructed by the Australian shipbuilder, Strategic Marine. The vessels are to be built for Njord Offshore Ltd, a subsidiary of Norse Management UK, to support offshore wind farms in Europe.

Developed from BMT’s wide range of Windfarm Support Vessels, the new vessels will be 20m in length with a beam of 7m, powered by two MTU 8V2000M72 diesel engines with fixed pitch propellers and capable of speeds in excess of 25 knots. BMT says the vessels will be built to the DNV Wind Farm Service 1 notation and will be delivered later in 2012.

“These 20m vessels are the first in a range of Offshore Windfarm Support Vessel designs developed by BMT specifically for Strategic Marine,” said Ed Dudson, BMT Nigel Gee’s Technical Director. “It confirms BMT’s ability to offer cutting edge designs for this fast growing market and demonstrates yet another success for the specialized vessel design team at BMT Nigel Gee.”

Adding on Dudson’s comments, Chief Marketing Officer at Strategic Marine said of the partnership, “We intend to be the market leader in providing Support Vessels into the offshore wind-farm industry and these contracts are a significant milestone in us achieving our objective.”

BMT Nigel Gee and Strategic Marine first partnered in October 2011, signing a “Teaming Agreement” that essentially provides Strategic Marine with access to BMT Nigel Gee’s many designs, in particular vessels for the offshore wind industry and passenger ferry market.