Ship&Offshore | Ausgabe 02/2017
Next-generation wind installation design
Rotterdam-based SeaOwls BV and Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein have launched a new jack-up vessel designed for the installation of next-generation wind turbines in the 10-12 MW power range. The lighter and more powerful design, known as Soul , was launched at the Offshore Wind Journal Conference early in February and the two companies claim that it will enable operators to install larger turbines as quickly as smaller ones in the 6-8-MW range, providing significant efficiency gains. Bram Lambregts, deputy managing director of Ulstein Design & Solutions BV, explained that the main crane is located around the stern leg, thus providing optimal main deck reach and over-the-side lifting capabilities. The hull now houses much larger leg footings which reduce bearing pressure on the seabed, and the wake of the spud cans does not interfere with water inflow to the propulsion thrusters. The patent-pending Soul design will be available in various sizes, enabling the transport of between three and six of the largest 10-12-MW turbines.