ESVAGT and Hvide Sande Shipyard collaborate on innovative transfer boat for the wind industry.

It was one of the great innovations in the offshore wind industry's when ESVAGT introduced boat transfer of wind turbine technicians in offshore wind farms using ESVAGTs Safe Transfer Boats (STB). The boats met a demand in the market. Today the STB concept with experienced seamen and specially developed boats is a very important contribution to flexibility and efficiency in the operation of offshore wind farms across Europe.

Now ESVAGT, together with Hvide Sande Shipyard, is taking the next step and developing an even bigger boat: STB15, which will be able to transfer more technicians and load even more cargo. The STB15 is designed in collaboration with OSK design, who also designed the STB12. "Our SOV concept with transfer boats has shown its potential and created the need for solving even more tasks with the STBs," says Søren Westphal, Senior Project Manager at ESVAGT and responsible for boat development at the company.

Strong partnership

ESVAGT has agreed with Hvide Sande Shipyard, with the task of developing the new boats. Hvide Sande Shipyard also built the predecessor, the STB12: "In our experience, Hvide Sande Shipyard is an innovative, competent and quality-conscious supplier. We look forward to working together to develop a boat that brings even more value to renewable energy production," says Søren Westphal.

COO Jeppe Hoff from Hvide Sande Shipyard is both 'proud and honored' to collaborate on the project: "We are pleased to build on a good and trusting agreement with ESVAGT to develop the next generation of STBs for the wind industry. The collaboration with ESVAGT on the predecessor STB12 was a mutually benefitting and developing process - ESVAGT is very keen to incorporate the experience of seafarers' everyday life into the boat design, which makes the task interesting for all of us," he says.

FACTS:

The Safe Transfer Boat 15 (STB15) is being developed for use on the Hornsea offshore wind farms.

The STB15s will be used to transfer technicians, move cargo, and spare parts, and sail to shore for supplies and personnel changes. Not least, they will be able to transfer cargo and technicians to higher seas than before, which will expand the potential of using the boat for even more. The boat will have room for more people and more cargo.

Technicians need to be on board the STB15 for longer, and the boat needs to be operational in more difficult weather conditions without technicians getting seasick. Therefore, the STB15 also has a stabilizer system, which moderates the boat's movements and is highly effective.