Maersk Supply Service and GustoMSC will collaborate on the design of a wind turbine installation vessel for the next generation of turbines. The aim of the collaboration is to create an upgraded design that can serve the offshore wind market in Europe.
The companies will start the basic design process shortly and expect it to conclude later in 2023. It will build on the same characteristics of the current feeder concept, which was designed to operate in US waters.
The patented design will allow the jack-up wind installation vessel to stay on location at the wind farm, while only tugs and barges sail back and forth from port to collect the wind turbine tower, nacelle, and blades.
This concept, according to Maersk Supply Service, is cost-competitive and expected to be more than 30 percent more efficient than conventional jack-up vessels.
Additionally, this solution will be less weather dependent, enabling continuous installations year-round. Combined, these elements will contribute to improving operational efficiency and lower levelised costs of energy from offshore wind.
“Europe is an attractive market for offshore wind, and we believe that our concept is also suitable for this region. As the wind installation vessel itself does not sail into ports, this can solve some of the bottlenecks we currently see in Europe, where only a few ports are large enough to handle the growing wind turbine sizes. We look forward to collaborating with GustoMSC on getting this new basic design ready,” said Maersk Supply Service ceo Jonas Munch Agerskov.
Nils van Nood, managing director of GustoMSC, added: “Against the backdrop of growing turbine sizes, we jointly aim to further improve installation efficiencies and development economics in the bottom-fixed offshore wind market.”
