NOV-owned GustoMSC has unveiled a new class of foundation installation vessel for the offshore wind market
The ENSIS family of designs is GustoMSC’s answer to the growth in the size and weight of monopiles and jackets, and the industry’s need for more efficient vessels. As recently highlighted by OWJ, more vessels are also needed to keep up with the fast pace of growth in the offshore wind market.
ENSIS is a series of scalable, fully customisable designs with next-generation crane and deck equipment developed by other companies in NOV’s marine and construction business unit.
The powerful workhorses are designed with a heavy-duty tub crane, high lifting capacity, extensive outreach and lifting height, enhanced by the optimised position of the crane. All of the designs offer a flexible deck layout providing ample space for monopiles, jackets, deck mission equipment, and additional auxiliary equipment.
The ENSIS 5000 design is the largest and most capable of the series. At 200 m in length with a beam of 55 m and 9,500 m2 of deck space, the vessel has a 5,000 tonne-rated heavy-lift crane. The lifting capacity of the crane and its lifting height also reflect the requirements of lifting and installing XXL and XXXL monopiles and jackets.
The vessel is designed around a combined upend hinge with a motion-compensated gripper that allows the ENSIS 5000 to take up to six XXXL monopiles in one trip, a capacity that exceeds that of vessels already in the market. The vessels’ draft is optimised to be able to operate from common marshalling yards and a foldable A-frame allows for mobilisation around the world. The vessel uses the latest energy-saving, regeneration and storage solutions and can use new or alternative fuels, if required.
The ENSIS 3000 and ENSIS 4000 designs are based on the same principles but are developed to address particular challenges. The ENSIS 3000 is a compact design that can efficiently install smaller monopiles, pin-piles, or suction anchors; the ENSIS 4000 offers opportunities for the evolving US market and Jones Act-compliant vessels.
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