Allseas has been contracted for the transport and installation of two major substations for the Gennaker offshore wind farm in the German Baltic Sea. The company will deploy its heavy lift vessel Pioneering Spirit for the project.
Located 15 kilometres off the German coast near the Darß peninsula, and with a production capacity of 900 MW, Gennaker will be the largest and most powerful offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea to date. The wind farm is being developed by transmission operator 50Hertz.
Awarded by the Dutch-Belgian HSI consortium – HSM Offshore Energy, Smulders and Iv – the contract is for the Gennaker West (OSS-DarB, OSS meaning offshore substation) and East(OSS-Zingst) converter platforms, including supporting suction buckets jackets. The HSI Joint Venture is responsible for delivering the two platforms.
Also read: In pics: Pioneering Spirit completes GTA pipelay job
One offshore campaign
Allseas will deploy its heavy lift vessel Pioneering Spirit for the project, utilising the vessel’s unique transport and lift capability to install the suction buckets jackets and the 61-metre-long, 34-metre-wide topsides in one offshore campaign. This reduces operations offshore, making the installations safer and faster.
This latest award further enhances Allseas’ offshore wind installation credentials, and the key role Pioneering Spirit is set to play delivering critical assets for offshore energy and wind developments across Europe.
Also read: Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit wins more offshore wind installation work
Pioneering Spirit
Pioneering Spirit is the largest offshore construction vessel in the world. Designed completely in-house, the vessel is designed for the single-lift installation and removal of offshore platforms and the installation of record-weight pipelines.
The twin-hulled vessel is 382 metres long and 124 metres wide. At the bow is a slot, 122 metres long and 59 metres wide, that enables Pioneering Spirit to move around a platform and lift and transport entire topsides using eight sets of horizontal lifting beams.
Also read: Pioneering Spirit to install substation for French offshore wind farm
For jacket removal and installation, two 170-metre-long lifting beams, which can rotate on hinges, is located at the vessel’s stern. This Jacket lift system was deployed on the Ninian Northern jacket removal in 2022. Complementing the lifting systems is a 5000-tonne special purpose crane for additional lifts such as lighter topsides and jackets, modules and bridges.
Picture by Allseas.
