First Tender Service for German Bight Area Launched

Seazip Offshore Service recently launched the first ad hoc tender service for the German Bight area. Only after a few hours’ notice the fast crew boat Seazip Hurricane carried out a successful crew change 90 miles offshore at the North sea for a major cable laying company with crew, equipment and provisions.

This call was carried out by the fast crew boat “Seazip Hurricane” a SAR type of vessel with a maximum speed up to 40 knots knots and great sea keeping characteristics to guarantee safe transfer over bigger distances in challenging conditions. With a range of 900 miles the Seazip Hurricane can be used all over the North Sea for ad hoc safe and reliable crew changes, delivery of equipment and spare parts.

Demand for multifunctional service vessels

Using this new standard, SeaZip Offshore Service are anticipating the trend of devising wind farms at locations far from the coast and at ever-greater depths. During the next ten years, the industry is expected to shift towards locations at a distance of over 50 miles from the coast, with depths exceeding 40 meters. This shift requires a new type of multifunctional service and accommodation vessels which guarantee reliable and, above all, safe operations performed in often dynamic conditions. The ships and the ancillary maritime services are needed for building the many projected wind farms, but also for the ensuing maintenance work.

SeaZip Offshore Service BV, founded in mid-2010 at the initiative of Jan Reier Arends and Sander Schakelaar, Managing Directors/Owners of JR Shipping, combines unparalleled capabilities in order to play a leading role in this niche market. The enterprise is integrated in a full-service shipping company, which enables it to provide any desired cluster of maritime services, ranging from ship development and financing to operational management, including crew provision. Due to its connection with JR Shipping Group, SeaZip has all the certificates required for the maritime shipping industry.

Seazip Offshore Service BV owns also SeaZip 1 and SeaZip 2, which recently been delivered to SeaZip Offshore Service and were built by Damen Shipyards, based in the Netherlands. Damen was also responsible for the development of this FCS 2610 Twin Axe Bow vessel type. A number of vessels of this type have already been put to use on the North Sea. They distinguish themselves due to their speed and maximum seaworthiness which, combined with economical fuel consumption and a high degree of stability, enables them to sail in rough weather conditions, too. While primarily built for the purpose of transporting personnel, the ships can also transport small quantities of freight. With the FCS 2610 Twin Axe Bow design, Damen has created a new standard in the market for offshore service vessels.

Market anticipates explosive growth

JR Shipping Group launched SeaZip Offshore Service because of its long-held wish to diversify its operations. While, until recently, the shipping company was primarily active in the container shipping market, it now operates a number of multi-purpose vessels and has even been responsible for the operational management of the Clipper Stad Amsterdam since 2012. The operation of offshore service vessels provides the third pillar supporting the shipping company. SeaZip focuses on an innovative growth market in which only a limited number of international players are active. In the next few years, the market for offshore wind farms is expected to experience explosive growth, partly due to the commitments made by European countries to cut back CO2 emissions drastically. Growth can only be achieved if the industry can equip itself with ships that have sufficient power and maritime services providers with sufficient dynamism.