Research and Oil Spill Vessels

In June Alnmaritec completed a new research catamaran for the University of Plymouth. Inside her large wheelhouse she is fitted with dry labs and wet labs as well as teaching facilities, a WC and a single cabin. On deck she has a 1.5 tonne hydraulic A-frame, twin 1 tonne capstans and a 500kg pot hauler. The Falcon Spirit made her maiden voyage down to the Seawork show at Southampton where it is fair to say that she created a lot of interest amongst the visitors. She is fitted with twin Cummins QSC 500bhp engines driving conventional propellers through Vee-drive gearboxes which give her a cruising speed of 18 knots and she is an extremely seaworthy craft designed to be comfortably capable of taking whatever is thrown at her whilst operating in her normal cruising grounds off Land's End.

The Responder 1 is based upon the Alnmaritec Wave Worker class but is a unique design variant that was developed for use by the Barbados National Terminals Company Limited at their Oistins Bay oil loading facility. The vessel is fitted with a large hydraulic boom reel and a stern roller for her primary role in deployment of an oil containment boom around the loading tankers to contain any spills and she carries dispersant spray arms which can be used for pollution control around the harbour. She has a large hydraulic knuckle boom crane that serves a large working deck with a removable bow bulwark which makes her capable of buoy maintenance and she has a dive ladder and side access facility for diver support. She has a comfortable air conditioned wheelhouse with seating for four and a small WC and she provides a very stable and versatile platform for a variety of harbour duties in addition to her pollution control tasks.