Author
Lars Blicher, Director of Offshore Wind
Building our pioneering ‘world-first’ Wind Installation Vessel design
2022 was truly a breakthrough year for our offshore wind strategy, in which Maersk Supply Service commissioned the build of our pioneering new Wind Installation Vessel (WIV) that will make the installation of offshore wind turbines 30% faster than the conventional jack-up method.
Developing a brand-new concept for offshore turbine installation is no light brief! And the final design and methodology was ultimately the result of many people’s hard work, learning, innovation and dedication over several years. But the result is certainly something we are proud of: a first-of-its-kind WIV, whose innovative new methodology will ensure a radically more efficient installation, which will in turn contribute to bringing down the levelised costs of offshore wind and support a faster transition to offshore renewables.
The new methodology will see the WIV stationed permanently at a windfarm to carry out successive installations, while tugs and barges ferry the turbine components out to the installation site. These will be delivered to the WIV using a patented load transfer system that will enable safe transfer of cargo.
The newbuild investment was made possible thanks to a firm contract with Equinor for the installation of U.S. offshore wind park Empire Wind 1 & 2. Due for completion in 2025, the WIV is set to the largest in the world to-date. It will also be the first vessel in the Maersk Supply Service fleet dedicated purely to offshore wind installation, so this is truly a milestone for the company, too, in our transition to become a coming a major contractor in offshore wind.
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