Huisman has developed a motion-compensated platform to quickly transfer wind turbine components from a feeder vessel to an installation vessel. With the feeder solution, Huisman aims to create a more efficient offshore supply chain that will also allow for larger weather windows for the installation vessels.
Since using an internationally flagged installation vessel is restricted under the Jones Act, a feeder vessel offers an efficient solution for the transportation of components in US waters, the company states. The motion-compensated platform provides a stable deck area because it actively counterbalances the effects of vessel motions. This means that lifting heavy components and moving an empty jack-up vessel can be done in more severe weather conditions, thus significantly increasing the weather window for operations.
The dimensions and capacities of the motion-compensated platform are optimized for the next-generation wind turbines and are designed to compensate for five degrees of vessel motions. The platform can be integrated into the hold of a vessel and aligned with the main deck, making it easy to skid cargo across the platform.
‘By using an offshore rated feeder vessel equipped with our motion-compensated platform, the jack-up vessel can continue installation work without having to shuttle back and forth to load new components,’ says product manager Cees van Veluw.
With this development, Huisman aims to grow its presence in the US offshore wind market. In December 2020, Huisman was contracted by Keppel AmFELS from Brownsville, Texas, for the delivery of a 2200-tonne leg encircling crane for the world’s first Jones Act compliant Wind Turbine Installation Vessel, Charybdis, ordered by Dominion Energy.
This article first appeared on Project Cargo Journal, which is another publication of SWZ|Maritime’s publishing partner Promedia.