Oasis Marine has achieved a milestone in offshore energy transfer technology, successfully delivering power through their Oasis Power Buoy (OPB) to a crew transfer vessel (CTV). The tests, which included the transfer of energy to a load bank on the CTV through a specially designed deck-head, were conducted in the challenging conditions on either side of Storm Babet.
These significant developments hold the promise of enabling hybrid and fully electric vessels in offshore wind farms while simultaneously expanding vessel charging capabilities beyond traditional ports and harbors, thereby contributing to the reduction of maritime emissions.
George Smith, the Managing Director of Oasis Marine, emphasized the importance of offshore recharging for the maritime sector, stating, “Innovative developments are being made with the design and production of electrified vessels, but range will always be constrained by battery capabilities. The ability to re-charge offshore is crucial for decarbonizing maritime.”
Overcoming the hurdles presented by the unprecedented Storm Babet, the dedicated project team successfully validated the core principles of the Oasis Power Buoy. As a result, they now plan to initiate a program of optimization during the winter months, followed by final tests in the spring, with the ultimate goal of deploying the technology in an offshore wind farm for a pilot project.
Smith expressed his gratitude to the teams involved, saying, “As well as our own team, I would like to thank the operational teams from 23 Degrees Renewables Ltd, GulfXStream Ltd, and JifMar Scotland Ltd for their excellent support during these trials.”
Upon commercial deployment, the Oasis Power Buoy will initially be linked to offshore wind farms to power CTVs. Future phases of the project will involve the development of versions tailored for larger service operations vessels (SOV) within wind farms and the decarbonization of emergency response vessels.
