On Tuesday 12th April, the latest addition to the Bibby Maritime fleet, “Bibby Tethra”, was blessed at an official naming ceremony at Socarénam shipyard, Boulogne-Sur-Mer in France.
Named after a Celtic mythological creature, the hydrographic survey vessel is 27.5metres long and 10m wide, and is equipped for a team of 16 personnel with 8 cabins, lounge and fully equipped kitchen.
The Catamaran will be chartered by ‘Osiris Projects’ one of the UK’s leaders in coastal seabed mapping and geophysical surveys. Established in 1997, the company has conducted over 350 marine based contracts throughout the UK and northern Europe, playing a large part in the UK’s offshore wind farm, tidal power and wave energy developments over recent years
Clare Osborne, Godmother of the ship (wife of Jon Osborne, Managing Director of Bibby Maritime Limited) conducted the ceremonial breaking of the champagne bottle, while a local priest announced the vessel name and blessed it with holy water (as is the tradition in France).
Over thirty people attended the ceremony in Boulogne-Sur-Mer, including Bibby Line Group Managing Director Sir Michael Bibby and his family and Directors from Bibby Maritime, Osiris and Socarénam.
Bibby Tethra will finally be launched from the dock on Tuesday 19th April, to conduct dynamic positioning, survey and endurance trials, and will be handed over to Wirral-based Osiris Projects on 5th May to work initially on projects in Liverpool Bay.
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Source: BibbyBroup, April 15, 2011.