Port Angeles, Wash. shipyard Platypus Marine has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Dutch shipbuilding conglomerate Damen for the construction of a new Jones Act-qualified crew transfer vessel (CTV) to service the U.S. offshore wind industry. The agreement covers design license and material package.
The vessel, which Platypus will build on spec, will be of Damen's FCS 2710 design. The 26.8-meter aluminum catamaran has already been proven in the European market.
A large fleet of Jones Act-compliant CTVs will be needed to help build and service the United States' growing offshore wind industry. To date, three U.S.-built CTVs are currently operational, with more than 20 additional vessels known to be on order.