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hen the United Sates’ frst purpose- In 2023, Senesco delivered two more vessels for Wind- built crew transfer vessel (CTV), Serve Marine: WindServe Genesis and WindServe Jour-

Atlantic Pioneer, was delivered in ney; and Gulf Craft in Franklin, La. delivered WINDEA 2016, the country’s offshore wind Intrepid for WINDEA CTV, a partnership between Horn-

W industry was just getting off the blower Wind and MidOcean Wind.

ground. In the years that followed, the industry has been Palatka, Fla. shipyard St. Johns Ship Building in Janu- building up—perhaps slower than expected at times—but ary of this year announced its frst CTV delivery: WIN- today is moving forward in earnest. DEA Courageous for WINDEA CTV. In March, Blount

Coinciding with this build-up is the growth of a feet delivered Gripper, the frst CTV for American Offshore of Jones Act qualifed vessels, including newbuilds and Services (A-O-S), a joint venture formed in 2020 by lead- conversions, to service this nascent industry. Among these ing European CTV operator Northern Offshore Services are CTVs, which ferry personnel and light equipment to (N-O-S) and U.S.-based investment frm OIC.

support the construction and long-term service of offshore wind farms. On Order and Under Construction

Today, nearly 30 of these vessels are in service, under There are many more CTVs on order and under con- construction or on order in the United States, and it is struction at U.S. shipyards, including the aforementioned expected that dozens more will be built in the years ahead yards, as well as Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in Somer- as more wind farms take shape in U.S. waters. set, Mass.; Breaux Brothers in New Iberia, La.; and Metal

Shark in Franklin, La. Other shipyards such as Platypus

In-service Newbuilds Marine in Port Angeles, Wash. have agreements in place to

Atlantic Pioneer, built by Blount Boats in Warren, R.I., build CTVs, but frm orders are yet to be confrmed. for Atlantic Wind Transfers (AWT) was literally the pio- The next CTV expected for delivery is another WIND- neer, built for America’s frst commercial wind farm off of EA vessel, WINDEA Enterprise, which started sea trials in

Block Island, where it remains in service today. June, according to builder St. Johns Ship Building. Other

The next U.S.-built CTV to come along was the Wind- CTVs scheduled for delivery this year include AWT’s At-

Serve Odyssey, delivered by North Kingstown, R.I. ship- lantic Resolute—also at St. Johns—as well as WindServe builder Senesco Marine for sister company WindServe Marine’s WindServe Enterprise at Senesco and a yet-to-be-

Marine in 2020, followed by another Blount-built boat, named CTV for Patriot Offshore at Gladding-Hearn.

Atlantic Endeavor, again for AWT, handed over in 2021. Firm CTV orders in the books of U.S. shipyards have

THE U.S.’ FIRST CYV, ATLANTIC PIONEER, AT THE BLOCK

ISLAND WIND FARM OFF RHODE ISLAND.

Credit: AWT

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