Houlder has announced that Marine Scotland, the Scottish Government Directorate responsible for the integrated management of Scotland’s seas, has awarded the company contracts for the design, support and building of two vessels. The ships are to be capable of operating within the harsh environments of the North Atlantic and the North Sea.
Upon completion of a fleet evaluation carried out in 2019, Marine Scotland made the decision to develop a plan to meet the future needs of marine protection and research in the country. To help prepare for this, two technical service contracts were written up, with Houlder to supply qualified concept designs for a scientific research vessel and a compliance vessel.
With knowledge and expertise in research vessels and hybrid powertrain designs, Houlder says the vessels will be capable of tackling the demanding North Atlantic and North Sea, while also meeting the strict requirements of the Emission Control Area (ECA).
“Solving complex design challenges and meeting ambitious targets, whether technical, operational or environmental, is where we do our best work,” commented Rupert Hare, CEO, Houlder. “Marine Scotland is looking for two high-quality vessel types with exceptional capabilities and efficiency and our team is excited to, once again, find the optimum solution.”