
We welcomed a brand new, state-of-the-art survey vessel to the Nicola Offshore fleet recently. Called Nautical Inspector, she shares the same design and dimensions as our first survey boat, Nautical Explorer, so is fast, safe, and incredibly maneuverable.
Designed in our recognizable orange livery, there is one certain and obvious way to tell Nautical Explorer and Inspector apart. At the stern of Nautical Explorer you’ll find two V8 Yamaha engines, while powering Nautical Inspector is a pair of state-of-the-art 150 bhp diesel outboards made by OXE.

We chose these new engines to power Nautical Inspector because they have much less impact on the environment than large petrol engines, while still being able to deliver strong performance. Nautical Inspector doesn’t have the raw power of Nautical Explorer, but she is still a fast boat, hitting max speeds around 22 knots without much effort at all! However, trading some speed for reduced emissions ensures that we can meet growing demand for more fuel-efficient survey platforms.
Reduced fuel consumption is a key factor to why the OXE Diesel engine emits significantly lower CO2 than a petrol outboard engine. A litre of diesel produces approx. 2.69kg CO2 and one litre of gasoline produces 2.36kg CO2 when ignited. Since OXE150 outboards consume less fuel than gasoline alternatives, they reduce CO2 emissions by up to 34.5%.
Aside from its engines, we have also fitted Nautical Inspector with a cutting-edge hydrographic survey package with support from our underwater technology partner Subsea Europe Services. Featuring an integrated multibeam package, Nautical Inspector will provide precise raw data ready for our experts to deliver dependable final reports that our clients can trust.
We’re delighted to expand our survey vessel fleet this autumn and are looking forward to adding more vessels soon. Nautical Discoverer, which will become the largest Nicola Offshore boat is next. Watch this space for more details.
Nautical Inspector Technical Specs
Hull: Polyester
Tube: Lightweight Fender
Length: 12 mtr
Width: 4.50 mtr
Draft: 0.60 mtr
Fuel type: Diesel
Capacity: 1000 Ltr
Power: 2x 150 hp (OXE diesel outboard)
Max Speed: 22 knots
Max pers.: 5 Pers.
Range: 600 NMi
Standard equipment:
- 4x lifting points
- Cabin with navigation lights
- 4x Battery Incl. emergency start system
Designation: PROCAT 1200 OBC
Type: Surveillance & Survey
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