The handover of the completed survey vessel named Cumulus marked the completion of work related to the execution of the contract for the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW). The vessel was designed from the ground up by the Gdańsk-based design office Seatech Engineering, while the tender for construction under the “design and build” formula was won by JABO Shipyard. The unit is now ready to begin servicing the measurement network in the Baltic Sea.

Cumulus was built based on the SE-216 design. It is a catamaran with an aluminum hull, 18 meters in length and 9.2 meters in beam, featuring a large working deck at the stern. The vessel’s autonomy was designed for four days of continuous operation, allowing it to cover up to 400 nautical miles. The ship will be operated by a crew of four.

Both the design and construction of Cumulus were carried out in Poland by local companies. Seatech Engineering prepared the complete technical design of the vessel as well as the detailed design of the hull and equipment. Interior architecture and electrical systems at the detailed design stage were the responsibility of JABO Shipyard. The entire project was executed under the supervision of the Polish Register of Shipping. The vessel’s model underwent tests in the towing tank of the Ship Design and Research Centre (CTO) in Gdańsk, where compliance with the requirements set by the client was confirmed.

The Institute of Meteorology and Water Management signed the contract for delivery of the vessel in mid-2023. The ship’s task will be to service measurement buoys located in the Baltic Sea. The unit enables the lifting and transport onto the deck, using a crane, of buoys weighing up to 1.5 tonnes. In addition, thanks to a removable stern-mounted jib, it is also possible to handle meteorological buoys weighing up to six tonnes.

It is worth noting that a catamaran-based design required a different approach than monohull vessels. “When designing catamarans, particular attention must be paid to the size, shape, and spacing of the hulls, as well as to the structural strength of the connecting platform. In this respect, the use of FEM and CFD analyses in the design process is of great support. It is also important that the weights of all components are kept under control from the very beginning of the design process and at every stage,” emphasizes the Seatech Engineering design office.