Platypus Marine announced this week that it has signed a Letter of Intent with Damen Shipyards for the building of a Fast Crew Supply (FCS) vessel, compliant with the Jones Act, to serve the offshore wind industry in the United States.
Platypus will build the vessel based on Damen’s FCS 2710 design. The 26.8-meter aluminum catamaran has already been tested on the European market. According to Damen, The FCS 2710 replaced the FCS 2610 in 2018, keeping the twin, axe bow hull design but increasing its length and height by one metre.
This means that the FCS 2710 can operate in conditions with wave heights greater than two meters, significantly broadening the operational window.
Damen claims that the FCS 2710 has more deck space, tank capacity, and accommodation.
A large fleet of Jones Act-compliant CTVs will be required to help build and service the United States’ growing offshore wind industry. Three CTVs built in the United States are currently in service, with more than 20 more on order.
