Brightlingsea: International offshore vessel deals for CTruk and CWind

ESSEX-based CTruk Boats, a specialist builder of service vessels for the off-shore wind energy sector, has secured its first export order.

And sister company CWind, which operates a fleet of CTruk workboats, has won a major contract with DONG Energy, one of the major energy groups in northern Europe, to provide vessel charters around the UK.

CTruk’s new order, its 12th in all since it was established in 2009, involves a 20-tonne payload 20T MPC vessel for Dutch company Sima Charters.

It will feature a 12-person crew pod and a flexible pod system with capacity to mount a 10-foot bow container for transporting equipment out to wind turbines.

Ruud Lievaart, owner of Sima Charters, said: “We already have five monohull vessels, but have seen increasing demand for large loads to be ferried out to the wind farms. We therefore needed a big enough foredeck for heavy equipment.

“CTruk Boats’ vessel is very different from other boats, offering a large foredeck as well as the flexibility to quickly move the wheelhouse forward and put a large container on the aft deck. The vessels are also very fuel efficient, which was a key factor in our decision-making.”

This vessel, to be named SC Buzzard, is expected to be work mainly off Belgium and the Netherlands, with the occasional foray into UK waters.

Ben Simpson, managing director of CTruk Boats, which is based in Brightlingsea, said: “We’re delighted with our first international order in what has been a busy year so far for the company.

“We set out to try and improve the design of the vessels supplying the North Sea wind farms. So the composites which make up the work vessels’ hull are designed to make for a smoother, more hydrodynamic shape, whilst being light and very tough.

“It’s a similar material that the RNLI uses for its fast lifeboats. This means the vessel is very fuel-efficient compared to the aluminium alternatives.”

CWind’s deal with DONG Energy involves a three-year framework contract, with a possible extension for a further two years.

Peter Jorgenson, managing director of CWind, said it was well placed to win the contract with a solid charter track record, a growing fleet of CTruk Boats’ workboats with versaitle load-carrying capabilities and a team of experienced skippers working with the company as part of a boat-share and co-ownership scheme.

The robust lightweight composite construction of the CTruk boats would also save DONG Energy significant amounts on fuel compared with similar aluminium vessels.

“Our relationship with DONG Energy is enhanced by this deal, which reflects the importance in the renewables sector for the versatile and reduced fuel consumption innovations CWind can provide,” added Mr Jorgenson.

“The contract win is a tribute to our team and its ongoing growth strategy in what are very exciting times in the renewables industry”.