ExoTechnologies, a leader in maritime green technologies, has provided Orbital Marine Power with a state-of-the-art, fully recyclable workboat to aid their offshore operations around Orkney. This vessel, constructed from the sustainable DANUTM composite material, is engineered to facilitate the maintenance and operation of the O2 tidal turbine, which is the world’s most powerful and Orbital’s first commercial demonstrator.
The workboat was produced at Ultimate Boats, a Glasgow-based yard owned by ExoTechnologies. This is part of their recent high-performance workboat series and aligns with the company’s future growth plans, which include creating 300 jobs at the yard over the next five years. Designed specifically for the harsh marine environment around Orkney, this 11-meter O-class Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RIB) features a wheelhouse, shock mitigation units, and can carry eight people with an operational range of 450 nautical miles.
Notably, the boat incorporates ExoHullTM technology, a design by John Moxham that enhances hydrodynamic performance, allowing for quicker and more efficient movement in water, thus reducing fuel consumption and impact from slamming.
ExoTechnologies CEO Shane Mugan expressed pride in their partnership with Orbital Marine Power, emphasizing the importance of their technologies in fostering sustainable marine industry development and addressing environmental concerns associated with traditional fiberglass usage in boat manufacturing. The company aims to lead the transition to a circular economy, leveraging their innovative technologies to reduce landfill waste significantly.
Orbital Marine Power, based in Orkney, focuses on developing advanced tidal turbine technologies that aim to drastically cut the cost of tidal energy. The O2 turbine, part of these efforts, is capable of powering approximately 2,000 UK homes annually and reducing CO2 emissions by about 2,200 tonnes each year, demonstrating the potential and effectiveness of tidal energy as a sustainable power source.
