Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), has signed a charter for a crew transfer vessel (CTV) with Patriot Offshore Maritime Services, a Massachusetts-based company.
Patriot will construct the CTV at Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in Somerset, Mass. Gladding-Hearn is an established shipyard with more than 65 years of experience in the construction of high-speed, aluminum crafts. The 27-meter CTV will be based on a catamaran design by Incat Crowther. It will be capable of carrying up to 24 technicians and personnel. Vineyard’s selection of the Patriot and Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding team will optimize the local content benefits of the Vineyard Wind project to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
“We are excited to have a Massachusetts company like Patriot on the Vineyard team and proud to support local jobs in Massachusetts through the employment of local maritime labor,” says Klaus Skoust Moeller, CEO of Vineyard Wind. “These vessels will not only serve a critical role in both construction and operation and maintenance for our project but will also help to launch a new industry that will create jobs and reduce carbon pollution.”
Upon delivery during mid–2023, the CTV will be deployed directly into construction, transporting essential personnel and equipment in support of the project. Vineyard also has the option to charter additional CTVs from Patriot as part of their marine logistic strategy. In addition to the Patriot vessel, Vineyard Wind has also signed a contract with American Offshore Services for a second CTV that will be built by Blount Boats in Rhode Island. The U.S. flagged CTVs will be fully Jones Act-compliant; it will be manned and operated by locally sourced maritime union labor during the construction phase of the project.
“We are honored that Vineyard selected Patriot to provide this CTV for its first U.S. commercial offshore wind project,” states Michael Landry, president of Patriot. “We are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”
“The development of offshore wind in the U.S. is creating jobs and new business opportunities for maritime companies like Patriot, and we’re proud to work with local labor to build the nation-leading Vineyard Wind project,” comments Bill White, president and CEO of Avangrid Renewables’ offshore unit. “Drawing from skilled and experienced maritime services in Massachusetts is a win-win for our project and local workers, and represents another important step in this growing American industry.”
The vessel will initially hail from New Bedford and other Massachusetts ports during construction of Vineyard Wind 1 and then be based in Vineyard Haven during the project’s operation and management phase.
Vineyard Wind 1 will begin delivering clean energy to Massachusetts in 2023.
