British company Sure Wind Marine Ltd. has taken delivery of its second Damen Twin Axe Fast Crew Supplier – the Sure Swift – in a little over a month after the first joined the company’s fleet .
Established in 2009, Sure Wind is a specialist in the German offshore wind market and now has 10 dedicated wind farm service and crew transfer vessels, the latest two being the first newbuild Damen vessels.
Sure Wind also owns the first FCS 2610 ever built – the pioneering ‘Shamal’ (renamed Sure Shamal) – which it acquired in July 2013.
The Damen vessels have certainly proven themselves and are hugely popular with customers, says Lucy Kibler, Sure Wind Vessel Operations Coordinator . “Enquiries are unbelievable, Damen has really set the standard for a crew transfer vessel. The Twin Axe is in a different league in terms of seakeeping and crew comfort.
“We aim to be the preferred crew transport vessel company and Damen helps give us the market presence. Customers want these vessels.”
The Sure Shamal will have been working at the Barrow Offshore Wind Farm from October 2013 to end-March this year, before heading off for her next job in April.
Sure Star and Sure Swift will be based in Eemshaven before being deployed in the German offshore wind market but again, the Sure Star has pretty much had non-stop work since joining Sure Wind’s fleet.
“One of the advantages of the vessels is that they are excellent sea keeping vessels even in the winter months, and still maintain their passenger comfort ,” Lucy Kibler adds. “Sure Wind does not rule out the addition of more Damen vessels in the future. The company has exciting expansion plans, which would involve an extensive fleet expansion. We can see more Damen vessels on the horizon.”
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Press release, February 27, 2014; Image: Damen