Shimizu Corp. received the Blue Wind offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) developed and equipped by GustoMSC from the Japan Marine United (JMU) shipyard.
Shimizu Corp. will be able to efficiently install wind turbine foundations and turbines thanks to the Blue Wind, the largest WTIV in Japan to date, which will aid the nation’s expanding need for offshore wind power.
The large-capacity WTIV was developed by GustoMSC after Shimizu Corp. picked them in a 2019 competitive bidding process. The business offered the GustoMSC SC-14000XL customised jack-up design with a big telescopic crane following thorough assessments of the installation problems offshore Japan, which include seasonal typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
Meeting Shimizu’s needs
The WTIV’s design was specifically crafted to meet Shimizu’s needs. The ship is 142 meters long, 50 meters wide, and has room for 130 people. Also, it has a reliable, safe, and effective jacking mechanism made by GustoMSC that operates at varying speeds even in the most extreme offshore environments.
Crane supply
Also, the business provided the first completely integrated offshore telescopic leg encircling crane in the world, allowing the vessel to erect foundations and wind turbines. The crane has a lifting height of 118 m above the deck and a safe operating load of 2,500 tons when it is deployed in a retracted condition. Avoid sailing and maneuvering constraints during transit and in port areas by keeping the crane boom in the retracted position without an extension over the bow.
The crane may then quickly switch to an extended mode to install turbines with a maximum safe working load of 1,250 tons at heights up to 158 m above the deck. In close coordination with the JMU shipyard, the business created comprehensive design specifications for the integrated vessel and crane.
Image source: NOV
