Following the basic design contract in December 2020, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock has now contracted Ulstein to continue the project with the integration engineering for their new dynamically positioned rock installation vessel. It is the next step in realising the first Jones Act compliant subsea rock installation vessel to serve the US offshore wind market.
The scope of work includes the selection of vessel main equipment with integration engineering plus the start of detail design. Awarding this contract is intended to advance the engineering work, ensuring the vessel is on schedule to meet its operational target of Q2 2024.
‘It is a privilege to work with Ulstein on this landmark project as they continue to bring global best practices, expertise and creativity to the design of this first-of-its-kind US vessel,’ says Mike Greenwood, senior project sponsor at Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD). ‘Given the priority the White House has placed on the offshore wind market, special-built vessels such as this will serve as the critical foundation for the advancement of this key industry.’
Also read: Ulstein to design first Jones Act compliant rock installation vessel
‘Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the design process and cooperation with GLDD has been highly productive and efficient,’ adds Edwin van Leeuwen, managing director at Ulstein Design & Solutions BV. ‘All credits to both GLDD and Ulstein project teams that have been working on this project since June 2020 from their home offices.’
Imperial system design
The vessel will be built at a yet-to-be-selected US shipyard. To meet general US working practices, Ulstein therefore developed the design completely in the imperial system, rather than converting metric dimensions at a later stage.
According to a World Energy Report analysis, more than thirty major US offshore wind projects are forecast to be developed over the next ten years, injecting nearly USD 88 billion of CAPEX and a USD 2.8 billion annual OPEX opportunity across marine-related support industries.
