Van Halteren Technologies Boxtel and Barge Master have been working together again on a new motion compensation solution: the BM-Heavy Feeder. Two of the new BM-Heavy Feeders are used to install wind turbines for the Vineyard Wind project in the US.
Barge Master’s BM-Heavy Feeder is the feeder solution for next generation wind turbines. This motion-compensated platform, with its scalable payload capacity, can transport and compensate all turbine components. In the Vineyard Wind Project, the BM-Heavy Feeder platform has been working together with the existing BM-T700 system, which already had a long track record in lifting, drilling, and feeder operations, to keep the GE Haliade X tower sections still.
Compensating roll, pitch and heave
The BM-Heavy Feeder compensates at the base of the tower sections for roll and pitch motions, where a heave compensation solution in the hook of the crane assists in eliminating the heave motions. It can operate in sea states of over Hs 2.0 metres and has a payload capacity of 700-1500 tonnes.
Van Halteren Technologies engineered, produced, and delivered the specialised drive and control for these innovative platforms, including the hydraulic power units, roll and pitch cylinders, docking cylinders, battery sets, selection manifolds and controls.
Also read: Barge Master lands extra funding to further develop feeder solution
Barge Master T700 and T40
Van Halteren Technologies and Barge Master have a long collaboration, where Barge Master is a company in motion compensation solutions and Van Halteren is a specialist company in drive and control technology. The first system the two companies collaborated on was the Barge Master T700, a big platform able to stabilise any load or equipment up to 700 tonnes offshore. Subsequently, they worked on the Barge Master T40 together, a motion-compensated offshore crane.
The two companies have partnered up to develop the next-generation motion-compensated gangways, able to work in very high sea states.
Also read: DEME and Barge Master working on US offshore wind feeder solution