Offshore staff
BANCHORY, UK — Oasis Marine has transferred power through its Oasis Power Buoy (OPB) to a crew transfer vessel (CTV).
According to the company, this opens a pathway for use of hybrid and fully electric vessels in offshore wind farm developments, also reducing maritime emissions by enabling vessel charging beyond ports and harbors.
During tests conducted by Peterhead Port Authority, energy was transferred via the OPB to a load bank on a CTV through a specially designed deckhead. And during mooring tests, the CTV GXS Viking was successfully connected to the OPB.
Testing was completed on either side of Storm Babet, so achieving successful results was even more significant given the weather challenges faced.
George Smith, managing director of Oasis Marine, said, “The core principles of the Oasis Power Buoy have been proven, and we now have a program of optimization over the winter months and final tests next spring, before deploying in an offshore wind farm for a pilot project thereafter.”
For its first commercial deployments, the OPB will initially be connected at offshore wind farms to power CTVs, followed by versions for larger service operations vessels supporting wind farms and for decarbonizing emergency response vessels.
The project has UK government funding through the Innovate UK and MariUK programs.
11.07.2023
