Pocket OSV takes next step

OE Staff January 24, 2014

A UK-based marine renewables consultancy has signed a memorandum of understanding with a German firm to finance and built a new construction vessel, the Hi Flo 4.

Mojo Maritime, based in Falmouth, signed the MOU with Hammonia Reederei GmbH & Co. KG, a German ship owner and manager.

The Hi Flo 4 (pictured) is a new class of offshore construction vessels for renewables projects, and has been designed with help from the UK's Technology Strategy Board.

Mojo and Hammonia, along with other Technology Strategy Board project partners, are now working together to appoint a shipyard and secure the vessel's first charter.

Hi Flo 4 is designed to operate across a wide range of offshore construction roles in extreme tidal races. Specifically, it could aid the tidal energy sector, but it could be used in other offshore construction roles, including offshore wind, cable laying and trenching, and subsea oil and gas interventions.

The vessel has a twin hull configuration powered by four Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP). It will be 60m-long with a 28m-beam.

The vessel is being commercially developed to be available in summer 2015. Others involved in the project include: Bauer Renewables (subsea drilling), Voith Turbo Marine Engineering (leading on basic design and supply of VSPs), DNV (classification), and the University of Exeter (analysis of turbulence and input to DP simulation).

The project is also receiving support from the Technology Strategy Board, the UK’s innovation agency, through its Marine Energy – Supporting Array Technologies (MESAT) Program.