Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT), the first U.S. offshore wind farm support company, has ordered six Chartwell Ambitious-class crew transfer vessels (CTV) designed by UK-based based Chartwell Marine.
AWT’s order comprises six CTVs to be constructed by St. Johns Ship Building Inc. at its shipyard in Palatka, Fla. The first two vessels are expected to be delivered in Summer 2023 and January 2024 respectively, with four further builds in the pipeline. The vessels will be the first U.S.-built CTVs to be compliant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 regulations, which rank among the most stringent emissions rules for marine engines in the world.
AWT is committed to the growth of the U.S. offshore wind market. Building U.S. Jones-Act compliant vessels certified under U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter L, these CTVs will be able to operate on any wind farm in the U.S. under the strict safety and inspection standards of the U.S. Coast Guard. AWT currently operates the only two crew transfer vessels in the U.S. under long-term contracts, servicing the Block Island Wind Farm and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm. AWT’s seven years of operating experience in U.S. offshore wind brings an impressive safety track record while logging over 6,600 TP connections and 25,000 personnel transfers.
“We’re pleased to strengthen our pioneering status in delivering another first for the U.S. offshore wind sector with these new Tier IV vessel orders,” Charles A. Donadio Jr., founder of AWT, said in a statement announcing the new contract. “Our goal is to build the most reliable, multi-purpose Jones-Act CTV fleet in the U.S. and provide our clients with cutting edge technology while lowering our carbon footprint and meeting all Jones Act and USCG Regulations. This investment will enable us to have crew transfer vessels available for charter to support the demand over the next several years.”
The Ambitious class is Chartwell’s flagship CTV design; a 25.2m (82') aluminum catamaran with the capacity to transport 24 personnel to and from turbines with speed, safety, and stability. Orders for the Ambitious class design are now well into double figures, with boats currently operating in Scotland, France, and Virginia.
“Our experience has proven our vessel model works for both the shipyard construction phase with on-time deliveries, and in-service uptime reliability for installation support and long-term O&M,” said Donadio Jr. “Chartwell is our go-to when it comes to CTV designs which are operating in multiple international markets. We see our partnership with both Chartwell and St. Johns Ship Building as a key cornerstone in our strategy to build the capability and capacity of AWT to support the future growth of the offshore wind industry.”
