U.S. companies reveal offshore wind installation vessel concept

The four-legged, self-propelled DP2 vessel will based on a U.S.-built barge and will be built under the terms of the Jones Act. Jones Act rules compel ships operating between U.S. ports to be built in U.S. yards. Discussions with U.S. shipyards in the Gulf and along the East Coast predict delivery no later than the fourth quarter of 2018, Zentech and RRI said. No customer has yet been named for the project. The unit will be constructed using U.S.-built components such as barge, legs, spud cans and propulsion. The vessel is expected provide the now U.S. offshore wind industry with “a much needed and cost competitive” marine logistic solution, converting a Jones Act compliant asset aligned with the lessons from the European offshore wind industry. The ship will also act as an oil and gas crane jack-up for decommissioning structures in 100m water depths when not in service for installing and/or maintaining wind turbines. The vessel is designed to navigate the New Bedford Hurricane Barrier and will carry and install components for at least three complete 6-9-MW-range wind turbines. The vessel’s jacking system will have a capacity of 16,000 tonnes. Up to four 8-MW-range, fully assembled wind turbines can be installed using a cantilever package. The installation mechanism will be able to align the fully assembled wind turbines to a high degree of required accuracy. Using its innovative concept, the vessel will have the mechanism to enhance its stability to carry fully assembled wind turbines for anticipated 10 MW or higher capacity wind turbines.