One Vessel, Five Purposes and Still Counting

A multipurpose vessel, which is able to act as a fishing boat but can also be changed into a wind farm support vessel, or a research vessel; and these are just a few of the options the EKO-vation can be transformed into. This innovative and new type of ship should become the impulse the Dutch fishing industry desperately needs, according to her creator Louwe de Boer.

In 2011 De Boer, managing director at Dutch Ekofish Group from fishing village Urk, approached Flevoland Development Agency (FDA) to address a problem, for which he also had found a solution. Jasper Klarenbeek, project manager innovation and development at FDA: ”The problem in the fishing industry is that de profits are lower than the costs, it needs innovation, for instance to reduce the fuel consumption. De Boer saw the problem, his revolutionary solution is EKO-vation; a vessel that is able to fulfil more tasks than just being a fishing vessel.”

The idea

”The North Sea always had a magical attraction to me,” De Boer says, ”but she also worries me. The sea is slowly changing into an industrial terrain, with the arrival of more and more wind farms, oil and gas wells and Natura 2000 areas. We know how the situation on the North Sea will be in 2030 and we have to anticipate on this vision of the future, because our fishing areas are becoming smaller and smaller, which is threatening the existence of the fishing industry. These plans, however, cannot be stopped so we have to use them for our own profit. I think this can be done by innovating the fishing industry, while serving the maritime industry at the same time, which is in need for vessels that can be adapted to various activities.”

After meeting with FDA, De Boer together with Klarenbeek approached naval architect Vripack from Sneek, the Netherlands, with this idea. Except for a fresh look at the idea, Vripack also has a lot of experience with extraordinary wishes thanks to their experience in the yachting industry and they made the first sketches of the vessel. A meeting led by TNO followed in which every possible idea could be brought forward. The ideas resulting from this meeting were finally moulded into one workable idea: EKO-vation.

Functionalities

The EKO-vation will be a versatile vessel, which working area will not be limited by the North Sea. ”Within one or two days, the vessel can be transformed into a vessel with another function. This is made possible by the modular components that will be installed. By adding, removing or switching the components the vessel will be adapted to the wishes of her user. Functionalities of the vessel of which can be thought are buoy laying, yacht support, fishing, diving support, research and the maintenance of wind farms. The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment is cooperating to arrange contact between the industry and the project”, De Boer explains.

Financing

However, just an idea is not everything. “The financing has also to be taken care of, which is why we applied for an innovation performance contract – IPC -, a subsidy for cooperating SMEs in the same region, chain or branch that will perform a multiannual innovation project. Out of 74 entries, 17 ideas, including EKO-vation, were selected to receive the subsidy. A subsidy is only a tool though, not our goal”, says De Boer. The IPC runs until next year and other possibilities of financing through subsidies are being investigated. Klarenbeek adds: ”Our goal is to attract many companies in the province of Flevoland, at the direct vicinity of Urk, to on the project as possible, so sustainable, long-term employment is provided in this area. However, everyone that can add value to the project is welcome to join us. Currently 18 companies are participating in the IPC, ranging from Blue Port Urk to consultancy agency Koers & Vaart and from Ridderinkhof to Veth Propulsion. You see, not only fishing companies are involved, but companies from every chain within the maritime industry. We hope to use their different knowledge to the advantage of EKO-vation.”

Erik de Wit, account manager maritime at Dutch equipment supplier Sandfirden Technics in Den Oever can agree with this: ”We participate in the IPC because we want to use our experience and knowledge in order to contribute to an acceptable solution. We focus on the possibility to apply diesel and/ or LNG or CNG generator sets and battery packages, including new technologies such as a high torque electric propulsion system to the EKO-vation vessel. These kinds of solutions are becoming more and more popular in the near future. Presently, we are testing industrial solutions with relatively small standardised modular LNG tank solutions. We will see what it can do for marine applications”

Design and construction

Currently the design of the vessel is being finished and the construction will be outsourced in November or December 2014, after which a year to a year and a half of construction will follow. The first vessel that will be built, is expected to be finished in the spring of 2016 and will be the test case. After this, multiple vessels will be built, making it also possible to exchange components between the different vessels, to enlarge it opportunities.

De Boer: ”During the design and construction we already want to anticipate to the market five to ten years from now, by using materials like composite which are new to the market but strong and sustainable. Furthermore, we are thinking about the propulsion. Should we use diesel engines or is it wiser to build a hybrid vessel?” And that is where companies like Sandfirden come in, to support the project with their knowledge and experience.

The EKO-vation vessel can accommodate a crew of ten, which can be increased by adding components. Furthermore, 40 to 50 passengers can be accommodated on board. The vessel is able to sail for a maximum of three weeks out at sea and is 50 to 60 metres long and 12 to 18 metres wide. The maximum speed will approximately be 14 miles per hour and the vessel can handle a maximum wave height of three metres. Another goal is to make the vessel as stable as possible, in order to avoid sea sickness for the less experienced passengers and to make their journey as pleasant as possible.

Unique

”Outside the IPC we are working on other possibilities of the vessel, in which the EKO-vation can be multi-employable during one journey. For example, employing the vessel for wind farm maintenance but at the same time utilising the opportunity to create fishing fields and harvesting them in between the wind mills, an area which is normally strictly forbidden”, De Boer says.

Klarenbeek: ”Not only the vessel itself is unique, so is the way the ownership is organised. There will not be one owner of the vessels, but multiple co-owners united in a NV called EKO-vation. Everyone who is interested in the vessel can become a co-owner and use the vessel for their own needs, participate in the employment or just profit from renting EKO-vation.”

Anne Kregting