This extension to the company’s new building programme will compliment the sister vessel currently under construction and to be delivered in January 2011.

Designed specifically for MPI Workboats Ltd, the South Catamaran 17m LS is a radical development over existing models to cover a multiplicity of roles demanded by wind farm site owners and operators.  The vessels will be an overall length of 17.5 metres, 6.4 metre beam and draft of 1 metre. Whilst being an ideal solution for the wind farm support sector generally, the vessels have been uniquely designed to offer the maximum length and beam possible whilst still being able to enter the Fish Dock at the Port of Grimsby at any stage of the tide. 

Realisation of MPI’s new building programme will increase their workboat fleet from four vessels to six and will assist in meeting the ever increasing demand in the rapidly developing offshore wind industry.

The new build programme will be carried out by Isle of Wight boat builder, South Boats Special Projects Ltd at their Cowes facility. Since the commencement of construction of the first vessel in the fleet, ‘MPI Sancho Panza’ in 2007, MPI have worked closely with South Boats Special Projects to refine the design of their vessels and incorporate innovative solutions to meet the requirements of MPI’s customers.

MPI Workboats realised at an early stage that their customers’ requirements for a workboat differed greatly between the construction phase and the operational phase of a wind farm. A great deal of hard work has gone into optimising the design, performance and operation of the vessels to establish a first rate solution which satisfies both separate and distinct requirements.

Leslie Robertson, Operations Manager for MPI Workboats said “I am delighted to announce the latest extension to our new build programme. Together with South Boats Special Projects we are now building two impressive additions to our workboat fleet. The construction of these vessels clearly shows MPI’s commitment to both the wind farm maintenance sector and also to innovation. ”