May 13 - Conquest Offshore has presented its advanced system for the installation of monopiles, transition pieces and pre-piling onboard the crane barge Conquest MB1.
Together with deugro Denmark, Conquest Offshore developed the installation system, supported by the engineering knowledge and experience of Temporary Works Design (TWD) and Barge Master.
Conquest Offshore said that the new floating installation concept was being launched "at just the right time", as the offshore wind industry calls out for cost-effective and innovative solutions to optimise the installation process.
A newly-designed and time-effective skidding system makes a full deck load on the 136 m by 36 m Conquest MB1 barge possible. The ability to upend monopiles - from deck and floating - and the use of a bespoke motion compensated pile gripper provide the means for floating installation. During hammering, hydraulic cylinders actively compensate the movements of the barge to ensure the right inclination of the pile.
Conventionally monopiles are installed by jack-up units with higher day rates and less deck space than floating barges, said Conquest Offshore.
"By taking advantage of the large deck space on the barge we can reduce the time and costs needed for transportation of monopiles and transition pieces and use the barge as floating storage - which altogether means that efficient floating installation has a much more competitive day rate," added the company.
The floating installation concept is also completely independent of the soil conditions and water depth.
Watch an animation of the floating installation of monopile and transition pieces below:
Watch an animation of the floating installation of prepiling of jackets below:
