Solutions for Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Installation and Transportation Launched

Kongsberg Maritime has introduced innovative methods to revolutionize the transportation and installation of floating offshore wind turbines. These solutions aim to streamline the entire process, from anchor and mooring installation to electrical cable pull-in, ensuring that turbines are efficiently connected to energy grids. The company’s approach includes new vessel designs and methodologies for anchor and mooring installation, a unique approach for towing turbines to the site, an integrated tensioning concept for mooring lines, and an innovative cable pull-in system.

Key elements of Kongsberg Maritime’s new solutions are two vessel concepts designed for large-scale mooring and installation operations. The anchor handling version of the floating wind installation vessel (UT 7900 FWIV AH) features a triple cross-tensioning winch system that can handle up to 900 tonnes in a single-fall configuration, optimizing anchor handling operations. Additionally, the subsea construction vessel design concept (UT 7600 FWIV Subsea) is equipped with advanced systems for handling mooring elements, enhancing efficiency in offshore wind projects.

To address the challenges of transporting giant turbines to offshore fields, Kongsberg Maritime has developed Tow Assist, a solution that leverages the K-Pos Dynamic Positioning (DP) system to enable unpowered floating structures to become DP-enabled during complex towing operations. The company’s Integrated Tensioning Concept enhances the efficiency and safety of mooring line hook-up operations by compensating for relative movements between the floater and the vessel, increasing the operational weather window and ensuring smoother operations. Additionally, a new method for cable pull-in operations reduces complexity and risk by placing all necessary equipment on the vessel, enhancing safety and speeding up the overall installation process of wind farm arrays.

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