SEACOR Marine installs hybrid power solution on OSV in Gulf of Mexico

SEACOR Marine has completed the installation of the first hybrid power solution on an offshore support vessel (OSV) in the Gulf of Mexico, following the upgrade of the SEACOR Maya OSV to hybrid lithium-ion battery-power propulsion.

After a series of successful sea and failure mode effect analysis trials, SEACOR Maya was issued its Interim Class Certificate from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) with additional notation BATTERY-Li, the first ever ABS OSV to have this notation. SEACOR Maya is currently operated by Mantenimiento Express Maritimo, S.A.P.I. de C.V. (MexMar), SEACOR Marine’s joint venture in Mexico.

“The successful installation of a hybrid power solution along with the first ever ABS OSV BATTERY-Li notation is a big milestone for our company,” said John Gellert, SEACOR Marine’s CEO. “We have long believed that cutting edge hybrid power technology has the potential to improve vessel efficiency, while reducing fuel consumption and emissions by as much as 20%. Early indications from sea trials of SEACOR Maya put us well within reach of this target and validate the success of our investment.”

SEACOR Marine contracted with ABS in March 2018 to class SEACOR Maya as the first OSV in the Gulf of Mexico to operate using hybrid power. Following the vessel’s successful modification to hybrid lithium battery power propulsion, ABS provided the additional BATTERY-Li notation for the SEACOR Maya in May 2018. SEACOR Marine conducted the upgrade project on SEACOR Maya at Bollinger Shipyards in Morgan City, Louisiana, USA. Sea trials of the vessel were conducted in mid-May 2018.

SEACOR Marine has also engaged with ABS to provide the additional BATTERY-Li notation on three additional OSVs operated by MexMar, including SEACOR Azteca, SEACOR Warrior, and SEACOR Viking. The vessels are expected to be upgraded to a similar battery system as SEACOR Maya with the upgrade expected to be completed by September 2018. SEACOR Marine will also install the technology onboard six vessels under construction at COSCO shipyard in Guangdong. The first two vessels are due for delivery by the end of 2018, with the remaining vessels set for delivery in 2020.

Corvus Energy supplied the lithium-ion-based Orca energy storage systems for all four vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, while Kongsberg designed the supply and integration of the hybrid power into the vessel’s control, power monitoring, and dynamic positioning systems. Both Corvus and Kongsberg are contracted for the remaining three vessels operated by MexMar as well.