USA-based Dominion Energy is advancing with its plans to develop a Jones Act-compliant wind turbine installation vessel and selected Huisman as the supplier of the ship’s 2,200-ton (1,995.8-tonne) lifting capacity offshore crane.
The Jones Act is a federal law that regulates maritime commerce in the USA and requires goods shipped between US ports to be transported on vessels that are built, owned and operated by US citizens or permanent residents.
“A Jones Act-compliant offshore wind installation vessel is vital for the continued growth of the US offshore wind industry,” said Mark D. Mitchell, Dominion Energy’s vice president of generation construction. “Huisman is a global leader and brings years of experience to this venture and will further enable the offshore wind industry to bring clean, renewable energy to customers in the USA,” he added.
The crane will be capable of installing the next generation of wind turbines when the vessel enters service, which Dominion Energy expects to be in 2023. The company anticipates that the vessel will be fully utilised on a 5 GW pipeline of work that extends through to 2027.
