Four Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs) are to be built to ABS Class by Blount Boats for American Offshore Services (AOS) to serve wind farms on the U.S. East Coast.
The 30-meter-long, Jones Act-compliant CTVs will be delivered in 2023 and 2024.
“American Bureau of Shipping is assisting the local content supply chain development of offshore wind here in the U.S., with support for the vessels such as these, that will be critical to establishing the industry. In addition, we are proud to add these CTVs to that list in supporting the clean energy transition and look forward to seeing them in operation on the East Coast,” said Greg Lennon, ABS Vice President, Global Offshore Wind.
"AOS is a shining example of how U.S. contractors can work in partnership to rapidly advance our local industry,” says James Clouse, Managing Director and co-founder of AOS. "We are realizing our dream of moving America's offshore wind industry forward and doing it with partnerships built on shared vision and values."
"We are excited to build this next generation of CTVs for AOS," said Marcia Blount, Blount Boat President. "A hybrid-ready CTV is a fitting addition to the new and growing offshore wind industry in the United States, and we are proud to be a part of it in such a vital way."
The vessels are just the latest assets designed specifically for U.S. offshore wind operations to be built to ABS Class. Charybdis, the first Jones Act-compliant Wind Turbine Installation Vessel is now under construction to ABS Class. The first U.S flagged Jones Act offshore wind farm service operation vessel ever ordered will be built to ABS Class.