turbine support vessels New owners add value with new designs
Having been acquired by the Instance family approximately 18 months ago, UK-based Alnmaritec has implemented a new strategy and has developed a number of new designs
ALNMARITEC has long been known for building well built, rugged boats for a range of applications, but with Simon and Andrew Instance working as joint managing directors of the company and a new sales director, it has refocused its strategy and has brought a number of new designs to market in the last few months.
The company’s new sales director, Chris Bodine, has wide- ranging experience, having held a number of positions in the marine and engineering sectors in the US, Finland, Asia and the UK.
“Alnmaritec is more than just a boatbuilder,” Mr Bodine
told OWJ. “The company has undergone a number of changes, and we now have in place key personnel to move the company forward, along with some innovative new concepts.” Mr Bodine said the company has been “streamlined” and “right-sized” in the last 12–18 months and had refocused its efforts on creating value for its customers. He noted that there are still a lot of boatbuilders for whom competing on price is the only strategy. “Price is still important, of course,” he explained, “but we have moved into more advanced designs that reflect what the market is looking for nowadays. “With the new catamaran designs that we have developed, we have focused on fuel efficiency and on being able to offer different propulsion packages,” he explained. “In today’s market for windfarm support vessels, it is important to offer a fuel-efficient, flexible machinery package.” Recent months have also see Alnmaritec form an exclusive partnership with the Italian design house Studio Sculli in order to develop a distinctive range of new workboat designs. Based in Sarzana near La Spezia, the studio is led by Mauro Sculli – formerly design manager for the world-renowned Wally Yachts. To date, it has specialised in design and support for the Italian superyacht industry, but working with Alnmaritec, it has been able to fuse together the best elements of commercial boats and superyachts.
In the longer term, Mr Bodine said Alnmaritec also sees potential for the windfarm support vessel market – and other sectors – from its collaboration with Effect Ships International (ESI) in Norway, which has developed a pioneering range of air support vessels (ASVs). Alnmaritec has a licence agreement with ESI that could see it take advantage of the ASVs’ reduced fuel consumption and enhanced ride characteristics. “We see an upside trend in windfarm support vessels going
forward and are positioning ourselves to take advantage of it,” said Mr Bodine. “With quite a few vessels in the field enjoying excellent service records, our new designs will offer
60 I Offshore Wind Journal I 3rd Quarter 2014
The first example of Alnmaritec’s Horizon 25 windfarm support vessel is due to be delivered in 2015
even more cost-effective solutions to the offshore wind and offshore oil and gas sectors. We are proud to support UK manufacturing and believe, as an industry, we offer the quality and innovation to keep the UK at the forefront of windfarm technology and productivity.”
Among the designs that have arisen as a result of the collaboration with Studio Sculli is the new Horizon range of workboat designs, including new windfarm support vessels, the first example of which is a 25m unit with a rail system for up to four containers. Due to be delivered to Alnmaritec’s long-time customer North Sea Logistics in 2015, the first example of the new Horizon 25 design is an especially flexible unit that can also be configured for a range of other types of work. Alnmaritec describes the Horizon 25 as “a distinctive design” of windfarm service vessel that incorporates a range of novel features. The low resistance hullform provides a stable platform with excellent seakeeping properties, and the unit can carry a payload of 15 tonnes including either 20ft or 10ft containers. The design has a resiliently mounted upper wheelhouse containing passenger seating and crew berths in the lower wheelhouse.
The Horizon 25 also has a unique modular system in the lower wheelhouse that houses fully serviced accommodation ‘pods’ that can be easily changed out using the boat’s crane and can be outfitted to contain additional seating, extra berths, survey stations, dive support services, changing rooms, medical facilities or workshops. Two of the pods can be carried at any time, giving the new vessel exceptional versatility and making it a truly multifunctional vessel. OWJ
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