MTS Expands Fleet With Multipurpose Landing Craft
Marine services provider Marine and Towage Services Group Ltd. (MTS) said it has purchased MTS Terramare, a multipurpose landing craft. The vessel enables the delivery of cargo, construction equipment and other materials directly onto land, without the need for dedicated dockside facilities, while also being able to operate as a diving platform for offshore salvage and development work.
The ability of MTS Terramare to be used as a floating platform for diving survey, or UXO works on cable routes, for example, will also enable offshore energy developers to meet the continued demands of infrastructure activity around European waters.
Equipped with a four point mooring system, powerful deck crane and ISO container fittings the MTS Terramare is suited for offshore dive operations. For station keeping in shallow waters, the MTS Terramare is equipped with two spud legs allowing the vessel to support survey, construction and installation risk management activities.
With a draught of 1.4m and a cargo deck measuring 13.7m x 4.6m, the MTS Terramare can transport up to 50 tons onto remote shores at a top speed of 8 knots. In addition, the craft contains accommodation for up to eight passengers, while a hydraulic deck ramp and crane facilitate the transfer of cargo ashore.
With the continued evolution of the maritime transport industry, owners and operators are investing in new technologies and equipment in order to meet operational obstacles and keep up with market demands, MTS noted. In particular, running cargo to small islands or areas with limited port infrastructure presents unique logistical challenges. Such work requires a stable yet versatile vessel, with a sufficiently shallow draught to deliver its cargo as close to land as possible.
The MTS Terramare is available for immediate deployment, and has already been used to transport cargo to the Isles of Scilly and along the U.K.’s South Coast, showcasing the range of environments in which it can operate.
“Our clients look to us to meet their transportation requirements no matter the destination,” said Steve Bendell, Commercial Manager, MTS.
“Increasingly we are finding there is a market need to deliver cargo to locations with little or no port infrastructure. Already, the MTS Terramare has been successful for the delivery of equipment and materials for the repair and maintenance of remote and inaccessible coastal assets. The MTS Terramare will prove a valuable vessel in meeting this need, extending the versatility of our fleet and the range of services we provide our clients.”
“We are also able to charter the vessel for diving operations, which we expect to utilise in support of the European offshore energy industry, adding to an already strong surveying resource in the existing MTS fleet.”