Franklin, La. shipbuilder Gulf Craft in December delivered WINDEA Intrepid, a new crew transfer vessel built for WINDEA CTV, a partnership between Hornblower Wind and MidOcean Wind.
Designed by Incat Crowther and classed by Bureau Veritas, the 30-meter-long aluminum catamaran has capacity to carry 24 technicians, plus six crew. It is powered by four Volvo DI13 main engines that drive quad Volvo IPS propulsion units. The vessel is described as "hybrid-ready", meaning it has been built with space to accommodate retrofitted equipment for hybrid electric propulsion in the future.
WINDEA Intrepid is currently chartered to support GE Renewables at the Vineyard Wind 1 wind farm located 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. It is already on site in New Bedford, Mass., supporting project construction alongside WINDEA Courageous, recently delivered from St. Johns Ship Building in Palatka, Fla., as well as Gateway Endeavor, a 1985-built offshore supply vessel (OSV) converted for use as a CTV in 2023.
WINDEA has two more CTVs under construction at St. Johns, and there have been reports of at least one more on order at Breaux Brothers in Louisiana.