New Offshore Wind Accommodation Vessel Concept
Chevalier Floatels, together with Holland Shipyards and Atlas Ship Delivery, has recently engaged in the development of a new concept for accommodation in offshore wind farms. Two identical floatels are currently being developed to serve as wind farm/offshore accommodation vessels. The vessels measure 66.40 m by 14.00 m, and offer accommodation to 49 passengers in single cabins and 16 crewmembers. They will have a 30 day autonomous operating capacity.
Western European organisations focus on the well-being of their workforce and therefore aim for comfortable accommodations with all amenities at hand. Recognizing this need, the accommodation vessels of Chevalier Floatels provide all the comfort for the workers, and live up to the clients’ high expectations.
Besides living quarters and public areas, such as a fitness room, restaurant and dayroom, the vessel will carry DP2 notation, a cargo crane, container space, crew boat landings and an Ampelmann heave compensated gangway, to make the drop-off of workers a risk free exercise.
Small Vessel Alternative
Chevalier Floatels aims to deliver a viable alternative to the existing trend of small crew transfer vessels. These vessels are certainly suited for windparks that are closer to shore, but the farther offshore, the more time is lost travelling up and down. The alternative is to create a “home base” inside the park from where workers operate, thus reducing traveling time and the need for additional crew transfer boats. This is exactly where Chevalier Floatels sees room for its new Windpark Accommodation Vessels. Chevalier Floatels aims to have the vessels operative in April 2012.