Posted on June 26, 2024
PALATKA, Fla. — St. Johns Ship Building, a Palatka, Florida-based Jones Act facility owned by Americraft Marine, is pleased to announce the delivery of the Windea Enterprise, the second of three Jones Act-compliant Incat Crowther 30m Crew Transport Vessels (CTV) ordered by WINDEA CTV, LLC, a partnership of Hornblower Wind and MidOcean Wind. This marks the third CTV delivery by St. Johns within six months.
“I’m incredibly proud of all the shipbuilders and support staff who helped bring this vessel to life,” said St. Johns Ship Building President Joe Rella. With three CTV deliveries within the last six months and two more in production to be delivered this year, St. Johns continues to grow its CTV building program. “As we advance our CTVs, barges, and other vessel orders, we are supporting the proud tradition of American shipbuilding, which is the backbone of the U.S. economy, right here in Palatka. We aim to make Putnam County, Florida’s 6th Congressional District, the regional leader in maritime job creation and operational excellence.”
St. Johns Ship Building has a long-term relationship with WINDEA CTV, LLC, a company focused on U.S. Offshore Wind Farm Support, providing crew and cargo transfer services for offshore installations and long-term operations and maintenance.
“St. Johns Shipyard has done an admirable job delivering two out of our three CTVs ordered from their shipyard,” said Bradley Neuberth, Managing Partner of MidOcean Wind and WINDEA CTV. “These projects take a long time and have endured trying macroeconomic conditions. It takes real cooperation and collaboration to successfully complete the construction of a CTV, and WINDEA, MOW, Hornblower Wind, and St. Johns have formed a solid foundation which continues to excel as we progress on our third CTV in Palatka, FL.”
St. Johns Ship Building has undergone significant transformation over the past two years, including the modernization of its shipbuilding capabilities and investment in new talent to allow concurrently efficient production of multiple vessels. In 2022, St. Johns was acquired by Americraft Marine, a maritime company of Libra Group, a privately owned business group whose subsidiaries have assets and operations in nearly 60 countries.
Committed to delivering innovative assets and facilitating high-tech advancements, St. Johns Ship Building is working to advance sustainability by producing CTVs, essential for servicing wind farm turbines at sea. These specialized tenders and support vessels support the future use of modern unmanned craft at sea and barges that can collect vital data to drive energy and transport efficiencies.
About St. Johns Ship Building
St. Johns Ship Building (SJSB) specializes in the Jones Act-compliant new construction and repair of a wide variety of aluminum and steel craft, including crew vessels, ferries, tugs, deck and tank barges, landing crafts, and general cargo vessels. SJSB is one of the few U.S. shipyards building vessels to support and service America’s offshore wind farms. For more information please visit: www.stjohnsshipbuilding.com.
About Americraft Marine
Americraft Marine was launched with the sole purpose to support and strengthen the U.S. shipbuilding industry and infrastructure. Americraft Marine is at the forefront of the U.S. shipbuilding industry, dedicated to revolutionizing Jones Act shipbuilding and supporting the nation’s maritime infrastructure. Leveraging decades of maritime experience and a commitment to innovation and sustainability, Americraft Marine aims to lead the evolution of the shipbuilding industry, creating stable jobs, advancing clean energy technologies, and building the innovative ships of tomorrow.
About WINDEA CTV
WINDEA CTV LLC is a leading U.S. offshore windfarm crew transfer vessel operator, currently with a fleet of five next-generation CTVs for charter to offshore wind developers, installers, and turbine manufacturers. The joint venture is comprised of MidOcean Wind LLC and Hornblower Group, with close support from WINDEA Offshore GmbH & Co. KG and its German shareholders. The company is combining its existing operational presence and track records in the U.S. with long-standing experience in the European offshore wind CTV market.
About MidOcean Wind LLC
A subsidiary of MidOcean Marine, MidOcean Wind LLC (MOW) was established in 2018 to address the need for Jones Act compliant vessels essential for serving the growing U.S. offshore wind market. MOW is dedicated to the development of vessels for both the construction/installation phases of offshore projects and ongoing operations and maintenance. The range of ship designs includes WTG feeder vessels, rockfall vessels, SOVs, and CTVs. MOW is guided by the belief that the market will determine the types of vessels to be constructed, and it has formed robust partnerships across all segments to deliver top-quality products to customers. MOW currently has five CTVs that will work in the US wind market.
