Alicat Workboats will construct four bespoke aluminium catamarans for the UK energy supplier in the latter part of this year – with the first serving E.ON’s Robin Rigg Wind Farm off the Solway Firth, near Cumbria.
Steve Thacker, general manager of Alicat Workboats , said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working with E.ON on this project. At Alicat we are as committed to the aftercare of the vessels as we are to building them in the first place and we look forward to forming a close working relationship during the construction of these vessels and beyond.”
Alicat Workboats’ 75 staff produce approx eight vessels a year from its operating base on Southtown Road.
The E.ON contract will see 19m high-speed wind farm service vessels, which are capable of reaching speeds of 30 knots. Each boat costs in the region of £1.7m and will help in the operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms
Jon Beresford, offshore wind operations manager at E.ON , said: “Not only is Alicat very near to our Scroby Sands operational base, it also offers a quality product with through-life service which, as vessel owners is extremely important to us.
“Their capability for a comprehensive after-sales support makes them so much more than boat builders and we are very much looking forward to working together.”
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Alicat Workboats, January 15, 2013