Safe comfortable service offshore service craft are a very real need with the growth of offshore infrastructure. Bigger conventional hull forms hare being built but in reality bigger is not a good option for service craft. This is a traditionally, and rightly, conservative industry but its also one where big break throughs can ignite rapid change.
The proposed craft is what is generically called a SWATH( small waterplain hull) design, and the proposer has it right about the advantages. Though a SWATH is usually intended for best transit performance ( ride, efficiency, safety and speed) the proposed ability to change the ‘ride height’ is different, in line with some mored rigs ability to ballast down for best ‘ride’ in a particular area or sea state.
Regarding transit, I think the writer may have misunderstood the concept creator, fast ferries are generally catamarans and these days often SWATH or SWATHlike craft. I think the lower hulls would be brought up to some intermediate depth for high speed transit not retracted into a hull riding form, which is both rough riding and less efficient. Either that or there is some patent/IP gamesmanship going on…which would not be surprising.
This World and Others 