UK owner Tidal Transit to invest in six electric crew transfer vessels  

The British company said the expansion of its fleet “is a direct response to growing demand for zero-emissions CTV solutions from offshore wind operations.” 

The company said E-CTVs “offer dramatically lower emissions, greater energy efficiency, significantly lower operating costs and greater personnel comfort than conventional diesel-powered vessels.” It said windfarm operators “will benefit from alignment with science-backed emissions goals, lower maintenance downtime, the leveraging of electricity from their own windfarms and greater comfort from the near silent and vibration-free propulsion.” 

The six newbuilds, to be delivered from 2026, will complement Tidal Transit’s existing fleet of CTVs while the industry transitions to electric. To help further accelerate this transition, the company is also spearheading a landmark diesel-to-electric retrofit project, (e-Ginny) funded by Innovate UK and the UK Department of Transport, proving existing diesel CTVs can be converted to 100% electric power and recharged offshore. 

Tidal Transit director Leo Hambro said the industry urgently needs to adopt electric solutions, “The offshore wind industry has reached a transition moment where the green electricity produced can be efficiently used to propel the vessels that service it,” said Mr Hambro. “The continued burning of fossil fuels contradicts the very purpose of harnessing renewable wind power. With HICO’s backing, Tidal Transit is committed to making the switch to electric CTVs not just viable, but also inevitable. The offshore wind industry has a responsibility to its stakeholders and consumers to make this step and actively embrace the rapid decarbonisation of the supply chain.

“Built together with our network of marine and engineering partners, these six new E-CTVs mark the world’s first fleet of multi-functional electric CTVs and a major milestone in our journey towards the electrification of offshore wind.”

HICO Investment Group said, “Tidal Transit’s vision to electrify offshore wind is exactly the kind of bold, transformative innovation HICO is committed to backing. This fleet expansion is an industry first, a defining moment for the maritime sector, proving large-scale electrification of offshore service vessels is no longer a distant aspiration but an operational reality.  

“This milestone will accelerate fundamental shift across the industry, unlocking new standards of sustainability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”