Estonian State Fleet christens biomethane-powered workboat

The Estonian State Fleet, the agency directly overseeing and managing Estonia's public watercraft, has formally named its newest multi-purpose workboat.Designed and built locally by Baltic Workboats (BWB), the 38-metre Kratt will carry out a wide range of maritime tasks from buoy handling and fairway maintenance to marine research, pollution response, and rescue operations.BWB said Kratt is Estonia’s first large workboat to use biomethane as her primary fuel. She is also equipped with a 400kWh battery bank for electric propulsion, allowing her to perform various maritime tasks while reducing the environmental impact..On biomethane, the vessel can travel up to 1,000 nautical miles at a speed of seven knots. On battery power, she can operate for up to two hours at five knots.The battery bank will also allow the vessel to use electrical power for up to ten hours while at anchor, reducing the need to run auxiliary engines as well as fuel consumption, emissions and noise levels.Andres Laasma, Director General of the Estonian State Fleet, said the acquisition of Kratt is in line with the agency's transition from single-use vessels to more economical multi-purpose platforms..The vessel’s primary task is seasonal buoy and fairway maintenance, but she will also serves as a platform for modern marine research. The vessel is suitable for environmental, oceanographic, hydrographic and geological surveys throughout the Baltic Sea.The vessel provides accommodation for six crewmembers and ten scientists. Other facilities includes a mess, a recreation and fitness room, a galley, utility and office spaces, and laboratories.The deck is meanwhile equipped with systems and fittings needed to launch and recover research equipment, containers, buoys and seabed stations. The vessel can support activities including water and sediment sampling, seabed sonar surveys, towing research equipment, the use of remotely operated and autonomous equipment, and meteorological and biological observations.Without resupply, the vessel can operate at sea for up to seven days.