Maersk Supply Service has been awarded a firm contract by Empire Offshore Wind, the joint venture between Equinor and BP, for installation of the Empire 1 and 2 offshore windfarms and is to build a unique turbine installation vessel to undertake the contract
As exclusively highlighted by OWJ on 23 March 2022, the installation vessel will be built in Singapore by SembCorp Marine, with a steel-cutting ceremony set for Q4 2022. The jacking units, load transfer system and crane will be provided by NOV and the design work was supported by class society ABS. Delivery of the vessel into US waters is expected in 2025.
The company has partnered with Kirby Offshore Wind, a subsidiary of Kirby Corp, one of the largest operators of offshore barges and towing vessels in the US, who will provide a feeder barge spread to operate with the installation vessel, in compliance with the Jones Act.
The tugs and barges will transport wind turbine components from the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to the Empire Wind lease area, which is located 15-30 miles southeast of Long Island, New York.
Drawing on AP Møller-Maersk’s leading position in the use of green methanol as a fuel, Maersk Supply Service and Kirby Offshore Wind are examining whether it may be possible for the installation vessel, tugs and barges to operate on environmentally friendly fuels.
Maersk Supply Service said it had been developing the innovative concept for the installation of offshore wind turbines, using the new wind turbine installation vessel, since 2019.
The company said its solution, combining the use of an installation vessel and feeder barge, “will be 30% more efficient than using a conventional jack-up vessel.” It combines the new installation vessel with a patented load transfer system that will enable safe transfer of turbine components.
The concept will utilise two newbuild tugs and barges to transport wind turbine components to the installation site, while the installation vessel remains on location to carry out successive installations.
Maersk Supply Service chief commercial officer Jonas Munch Agerskov said, “The new feeder solution equips Maersk Supply Service with a methodology that ensures a radically more efficient installation, which will enable faster installation and lead to faster revenue generation from offshore windfarms.
“All of this will contribute to bringing down the levelised costs of offshore wind. The solution is also less weather dependent, allowing installation year-round. The feeder methodology has been designed inhouse and patented by Maersk Supply Service.”
Maersk Supply Service chief executive Steen Karstensen said, “In signing this contract with Equinor and BP, we are ready to invest in Maersk Supply Service’s first wind installation vessel and firmly establish the company as an offshore wind contractor.
“Offshore wind continues to play an increasingly important role for Maersk Supply Service, both floating wind and bottom-fixed. With our legacy of complex project management and operations in harsh waters, Maersk Supply Service’s background and capabilities are well-matched to the offshore wind industry.”
Equinor chief procurement officer Mette Ottøy said, “Equinor has worked closely with Maersk for a number of years on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, where we have employed several of their jack-up rigs.
“Equinor and bp are excited to cover new ground together, with a first-of-its-kind wind installation vessel. We will build on the parties’ long history of offshore experience as we extend our collaboration into the renewables business.”
Empire Wind project director Trond Gulichsen said, “We are very pleased to sign this agreement with Maersk, providing a state-of-the-art vessel for a landmark project in New York, demonstrating industry collaboration with the US supply chain, providing new technology and solutions for the US offshore wind market.
“The Maersk concept will ensure efficient installation of the Empire Wind turbines by using a dock-in feeder solution, which will improve safety by reducing the number of offshore lifts. We are pleased that Maersk is also exploring the opportunity of using climate-neutral fuels to operate the vessel.”
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