News this week

Representatives from the EMEC Operations Team and a number of tidal developers were invited onboard the Dutch registered MV Fairplayer this week to witness sea trials. Operated by Jumbo Shipping of Rotterdam, the class 2 DP vessel launched in 2008 is one of the world’s largest and most advanced ‘heavy lift’ vessels and featured in the Discovery Channel’s ‘Mighty Ships’ documentary in 2009. With a lifting capacity of 1,800 tonnes and over 3,000 square metres of cargo deck, this class of vessel has the capacity to transport and install the largest and heaviest of marine generators directly onto the sea bed within a tidal flow site. The sea trials demonstrated the vessel’s ability to hold station and precisely manoeuvre in the most aggressive and fast flowing spring tides.