A range of innovative methods designed to transform and industrialise the transportation and installation of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT) have been unveiled by Kongsberg Maritime.
New vessel designs and methodology for anchor and mooring installation; a new approach for towing turbines to site; a new integrated tensioning concept for mooring lines; and an innovative cable pull-in system promise to streamline the entire process.
Two new vessel concepts, specifically designed for large-scale mooring and installation operations, are a key element in the new solutions. The anchor handling version (UT 7900 FWIV AH) features a triple cross-tensioning winch system capable of tensioning and proof-loading up to three mooring lines simultaneously with significant reduction in bollard pull requirements.
The subsea construction vessel design concept, (UT 7600 FWIV Subsea), is equipped with advanced systems for handling, storing, and deploying mooring elements, making it ideal for high-volume floating wind installations.
Kongsberg Maritime’s new Tow Assist builds on the K-Pos DP (Dynamic Positioning) system, enabling unpowered floating structures to become DP-enabled during complex towing operations by calculating and distributing the optimal allocation of the connected vessels.
The Integrated Tensioning Concept compensates for relative movements between the floater and the vessel, significantly increasing the operational weather window and ensuring smoother operation. Permanent Magnet (PM) winches, providing the responsiveness and motion compensation necessary for precise and efficient tensioning of mooring lines which makes them ideal for the challenging conditions of offshore operations.
A new method for cable pull-in operations, is a key element of Kongsberg Maritime’s end-to-end process by reducing requirements for equipment and people on the floater, enhancing safety and speeding up the overall rate of installation of the wind farm array.
Gunnar Thorsen, Senior Vice President of Business Concepts at Kongsberg Maritime, highlights the significance, "We aim to offer a full package of equipment and technology, from the point the floating turbines leave their assembly site to the moment they are connected to the power grid. Our new methods … are also applicable to other offshore energy structures, so our investment in these novel solutions will also be relevant and benefit oil and gas related operations."
