KML HAILS MARINE INNOVATION

KML has launched a low cost dynamic positioning (DP) barge aimed at the marine energy market.

The £3 million plus project was 50% funded by Innovate UK, the UK body responsible for stimulating and supporting business-led innovation, and was led by Bristol-based ITPEnergised.

It combined the expertise of Falmouth-based marine construction contractor and vessel owner Keynvor Morlift Ltd (KML), dynamic positioning system developer Reygar of Gloucester, and A&P Falmouth, which provided the dry dock facility and carried out the modification and conversion works.

Earlier this year the consortium completed five years of research and development, including a successful trial of the Mormaen DP1 Barge off Falmouth in March. The specialist barge comes with a substantially lower operating cost and charter rate compared to offshore DP vessels.

This innovation is expected to significantly improve the commercial viability of the wave and tidal energy generation sector and accelerate market growth and maturity, as well as to boost the operability of barges on a variety of construction projects.

KML’s managing director, Diccon Rogers, said: “This represents an exciting development for KML. The combination of KML’s powerful thrusters and Reygar’s DP system makes the Mormaen 15 a highly versatile and cost-effective stable platform for a variety of amphibious, nearshore and offshore applications including cable lay, wave and tidal energy installations, offshore wind construction and O&M, and marine civil engineering.”