Safe Transfers Offshore – CTV to Platform Access

Working offshore means constant interaction between vessels and platforms, and one of the most critical moments is the crew transfer. These images capture a CTV (crew transfer vessel) push-on to the boat landing, followed by a technician ascending the ladder system under supervision.

It’s a routine part of offshore wind work, but never taken lightly. Every transfer requires planning, timing, and focus, with vessel crews and technicians working in sync. The yellow steel, wave action, and rope work tell the story of an industry that balances risk with control – always aiming for safe, efficient access to keep the turbines running.

Scenes like this highlight the skill, discipline, and teamwork that underpin the offshore wind industry.

Crew Transfer Vessels in Offshore Wind: Farra Grainne at Work

These images focus on the Farra Grainne, a crew transfer vessel working offshore within a wind farm environment. Taken in calm conditions and clear light, they show the vessel in a few different contexts: close alongside, moving away through the field, and positioned next to the structure during transfer operations.

In offshore wind, crew transfer vessels, usually shortened to CTVs, are a core part of daily operations. Their job is to move technicians and small teams between shore or a mothership base and offshore assets such as turbines and substations. They are specifically designed for that role, and in many projects they remain the preferred transfer solution for sites closer to shore. 

The transfer itself is one of the most important parts of the process. Industry guidance from G+ and the Energy Institute is built around the principle that people should not fall into the sea or become trapped between the vessel and the offshore structure during transfer. That is why vessel design, operating procedures, competence and transfer arrangements matter so much. 

It is easy to look at a wind farm and focus only on the turbines, but the day-to-day operation relies on far more than that. CTVs are one of the clearest examples. They are there to move people, equipment and capability around the site, and without them a lot of offshore maintenance simply would not happen in the same way. General guidance on offshore wind service vessels also notes that CTVs are designed specifically to transport service teams and are commonly fitted for transfer work against offshore structures. 

Fog creeping in.

Hello, here are some images of the fog slowly creeping in, over the windfarm.

The fog approaches like a soft whisper, gradually swallowing the horizon. The wind turbines, once clear and imposing, begin to fade into the mist, their outlines becoming ghostly silhouettes

The Edda Brint, SOV (service operations vessel) adjacent to our substation.

Housing 60 persons, the 60 PAX will be made up with the ships crew and technicians who are servicing the turbines.

The Wind Cat CTV (crew transfer vessel) This vessel is our daily transport to and from shore.

As the fog thickens, the turbines seem to float in mid-air, their blades slicing through the mist with a gentle, rhythmic motion. This ethereal scene creates a stark contrast between the solid structures and the ephemeral fog.

Have you captured the beauty of fog in your photography? Share your images and comments over on Instagram @lee_ramsden

Thanks

Lee

CTV