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A Bigger Boat: Offshore Wind Service Vessels Grow Up
A Bigger Boat: Offshore Wind Service Vessels Grow Up
Tildy Bayar, Associate Editor, Renewable Energy World
August 05, 2013
LONDON -- As offshore wind development moves further out to sea, into deeper waters and harsher weather conditions, service and support vessels — boats used for installation, crew transfer and maintenance — have seen a sea change from smaller boats, often re-purposed from other sectors, to purpose-built craft of 20 metres and larger.
The most popular modern vessels now reach 24 metres and, with the UK’s Round 3 energy plan approaching (offshore wind is a major factor), 26- and 28-metre boats are being designed.
Why Are Bigger Boats Needed?
Wind farm owners are “starting to really push the limits in terms of the weather they want you to work in,” says Ian Baylis, managing director of Seacat Services. As projects move further offshore, support vessels will spend more time travelling and working outside windows of calm weather, and the larger the boat, the more capable it is in rough waters and high wave heights.
In addition, the comfort and safety of the wind technicians who may commute to work on a boat becomes more important. “It’s challenging in terms of the sheer time technicians can spend in transit each day,” says Baylis, “not to mention the working day they’ll have. At Greater Gabbard it’s an hour and a half ride in the morning, at least 10 hours in the field, going up and down towers — physical work. Then 1.5 hours transit home — all in challenging sea conditions. These guys are not seafarers; some technicians transfer from other places and may never have been on a boat.”
Support vessel firms have responded to these concerns by building in features such as windows for 360-degree vision ...
Tildy Bayar, Associate Editor, Renewable Energy World
August 05, 2013
LONDON -- As offshore wind development moves further out to sea, into deeper waters and harsher weather conditions, service and support vessels — boats used for installation, crew transfer and maintenance — have seen a sea change from smaller boats, often re-purposed from other sectors, to purpose-built craft of 20 metres and larger.
The most popular modern vessels now reach 24 metres and, with the UK’s Round 3 energy plan approaching (offshore wind is a major factor), 26- and 28-metre boats are being designed.
Why Are Bigger Boats Needed?
Wind farm owners are “starting to really push the limits in terms of the weather they want you to work in,” says Ian Baylis, managing director of Seacat Services. As projects move further offshore, support vessels will spend more time travelling and working outside windows of calm weather, and the larger the boat, the more capable it is in rough waters and high wave heights.
In addition, the comfort and safety of the wind technicians who may commute to work on a boat becomes more important. “It’s challenging in terms of the sheer time technicians can spend in transit each day,” says Baylis, “not to mention the working day they’ll have. At Greater Gabbard it’s an hour and a half ride in the morning, at least 10 hours in the field, going up and down towers — physical work. Then 1.5 hours transit home — all in challenging sea conditions. These guys are not seafarers; some technicians transfer from other places and may never have been on a boat.”
Support vessel firms have responded to these concerns by building in features such as windows for 360-degree vision ...
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/08/a-bigger-boat-offshore-wind-service-vessels-grow-up?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-August7-2013
1 replies
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