Eiffel 101: All About Construction Work Boats

Work Boats are indispensable in offshore construction. These relatively small, secondary boats work alongside larger vessels and barges to provide transportation services, towing capabilities, materials, equipment, and manpower where needed. Below is an overview of the types of work boats common in offshore construction with some additional information about the parts they play:

Tug Boats

Tug boats are used to moor, berth, and transport larger vessels used for offshore construction. Oftentimes, they are used to tow or push bigger boats to the port, boats that otherwise would not be able to get close enough to a harbor without their help. They are particularly useful for the transportation and mooring of non-self-propelled barges as well as oil platforms. Tug boats are commonly used to haul the following types of barges in the construction realm: sectional barges, spud barges, accommodation barges, deck barges, and crane barges.

Push Boats

Push boats serve many of the same purposes as tug boats. They can help moor, berth, and transport other, larger vessels. What differentiates them is that their design only allows them to push, rather than pull another boat. Their hull is not engineered for pulling. In most cases, pushing is more efficient than pulling of a large vessel or barge, and push boats are suitable for a number of jobs in offshore construction.

Crew Boats

These types of boats aid in the transportation of offshore crew members on water. They also help transport deck cargo and cargo that’s below deck like drinkable water and fuel. Crew boats are popular in construction operations and operations involving drilling rigs, oil platforms, and wind farms, as they allow the easy transportation of several crew members when needed. Many crew boats can accommodate between 50 and 100 people.

Commercial Boats

With many different kinds of Commercial boats on the market, this classification is somewhat broad. Generally, commercial boats are similar to recreational boats in design except that they’re used for business purposes, such as transporting crew members across bodies of water and serving as secondary vessels with cargo storage for offshore projects. It’s not uncommon to find commercial boats that are either inflatable boats or yachts. Most commercial boats are self-propelled, which allows for efficient and quick relocation.

Rescue Boats

As their name suggests, these boats, which include lifeboats, are used to provide emergency and rescue services to offshore construction projects. They are usually relatively small and powered by engines. This allows them to move quickly on the water and get where they need to go in the nick of time.

Support Vessels

Support vessels are a type of utility vessel that provide supplies and equipment to assist offshore projects in areas like construction, abandonment, field drilling, and decommissioning. There are different types of support vessels, including: ROV support vessels, survey ships, diving support vessels, and field support vessels. Each of these types of support vessels includes equipment and materials specific to its purpose. For instance, many survey ships come with instruments and lab tools that aid in the study of the geology, topography, hydrology, etc. of a particular offshore area to aid in subsea production system installation. In offshore construction, field support vessels are probably the most common.

Patrol Boats

Also sometimes called patrol crafts or patrol vessels, these boats are used for offshore and coastal security and law enforcement purposes. They are small, self-propelled, and can move across water quickly. Many of them are similar in terms of size and features to yachts. They are often deployed by coast guard, customs, and navy teams and are oftentimes used alongside rescue boats to aid in emergency situations involving offshore construction.

BUY AND SELL WITH EIFFEL TRADING

Eiffel Trading’s online marketplace hosts a wide variety of used marine equipment, including but not limited to used crew boats, used utility vessels (including commercial boats, patrol boats, and more), and much more. Additionally, our construction material inventory ranges from used crane mats, to new and used wide flange beams, and everything in between.

All of our listings are constantly being updated, but if you don’t see what you’re looking for, create a wanted listing for free.

Ready to sell your used heavy equipment or construction material? List your products today for free on Eiffel Trading’s online marketplace.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please call us at 1-800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com.