Seacor Marine has completed installation of what it calls the first hybrid power solution on an offshore support vessel in the Gulf of Mexico, with planned hybrid lithium battery system upgrades now implemented on the Seacor Maya.

The vessel has finished "successful" sea and failure mode effect analysis trials, and has also been issued an Interim Class Certificate from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), with the first of its kind notation BATTERY-Li.

Seacor Marine chief executive John Gellert called the developments a "milestone" for the company.

“We have long believed that cutting edge hybrid power technology has the potential to improve vessel efficiency, while reducing fuel consumption and emissions by as much as 20%," Gellert said in a statement.

"Early indications from sea trials of Seacor Maya put us well within reach of this target and validate the success of our investment.”

Upstream previously profiled the technology in April, which is a joint effort of Seacor and ABS.

The pair is introducing a hybrid PSV that taps battery technology to smooth out peaks and valleys of power use onboard, aimed at improving overall efficiency and reducing specific fuel consumption.

The first application was to the Seacor Maya, a 285-foot dynamically positioned diesel-electric vessel in the fleet of the company’s MexMar joint venture in Mexico, with the conversion planned for Bollinger Shipyards in Morgan City, Louisiana.

Seacor also plans to adapt nine more vessels, three already active in the MexMar unit and six under construction in China.

The company believes the upgrades will give it the world's largest hybrid fleet of its kind.