Comparative analysis against conventional vessels highlights operational and environmental performance benefits that progress the decarbonisation of offshore marine transportation

Swansea-based HST Marine, a Purus Wind company, is leveraging Reygar’s BareFLEET technology to understand and report on the performance of its hybrid Crew Transfer Vessels (CTVs).

HST Marine’s commitment to provide low-carbon vessel solutions to the clean energy industry aligns with the international offshore wind sector’s aims to reduce vessel emissions and fuel burn, thereby driving down the overall carbon footprint of building and operating offshore wind farms.

The company currently has four hybrid CTVs in operation with three more soon to enter service, all of which have BareFLEET installed. These vessels are a mix of both controllable and fixed pitch propeller systems that take power from either a high-efficiency electric motor or the main engine, allowing them to operate near silently and with zero emissions in electric only mode.

Christopher Monan – Chief Operations Officer of HST Marine said: “We recognise the value of gathering and sharing accurate performance data from our vessels. It supports the company in winning new contracts and enables us to build lasting customer relationships. We have seen reductions in main engine operation of around 50% on our hybrid vessels, which has the holistic benefits of lowering fuel consumption, emissions and noise when in harbour, as well as lengthening service intervals. Being able to demonstrate these efficiency gains with clear and concise performance data is of utmost importance to nurture trust with both new and existing charterer clients, whilst also providing them with essential evidence for their own environmental reporting.”

New features, developed by Reygar within the BareFLEET technology package, allow HST Marine to closely monitor the performance of hybrid vessels including, for example, a breakdown of electric versus diesel power consumption whilst carrying out different tasks offshore. BareFLEET also monitors the electrical power consumption of the hybrid drive, with specific usage and performance statistics now included alongside conventional diesel engine performance data. These features enable HST Marine to evaluate the environmental performance of hybrid CTVs against conventional vessels and to make adjustments for further improvement.

Chris Huxley-Reynard, Managing Director of Reygar, said: “The team here is delighted to be supporting HST Marine on its mission to decarbonise offshore marine transportation. The transition to hybrid CTVs is an important step towards zero emission targets for the industry as a whole and we have recently delivered a number of BareFLEET systems for new hybrid vessels. It is hugely satisfying to see the technology performing well for HST Marine, providing their teams with the data they need both onboard and onshore.”

HST Marine, a wholly owned subsidiary of Purus Wind, part of Purus Marine, has worked closely with Reygar since its first vessels went operational some five years ago and has used BareFLEET on all new fleet additions since. The company continues to expand its hybrid CTV fleet with seven new Damen FCS 2710 and three Damen FCS 3210 vessels on order, all of which will be fitted with BareFLEET as standard.