Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in industry and the academic community.
PO191: Innovative Solutions to Crane Vessel Shortage for Main Component Exchanges (MCE): Up-Tower Cranes and the Major Component Exchange Vessel (MCEV)
Sjoerd Butter, Sales Manager, LiftOff
Abstract
In the past decade offshore wind turbines have significantly increased in capacity, from 3 MW to over 15 MW in the latest wind farms. This upscaling demands larger Wind Turbine Installation Vessels (WTIVs), equipped with cranes with higher lifting capacities. Not only has turbine capacity grown, but the number of turbines per site has also increased. As a result, vessels capable of installing or maintaining these larger turbines are tied up for longer durations on individual projects. The supply of suitable vessels is limited, and the gap between supply and demand is expected to widen in the coming years. Fortunately, alternatives exist. By combining existing technologies with innovative approaches, operators can meet their Operations & Maintenance (O&M) needs without relying solely on these scarce and expensive vessels. This abstract explores the use of Up-Tower cranes and hang-off platforms to enable smaller, more readily available vessels to perform MCEs. It also introduces the concept of a dedicated Major Component Exchange Vessel (MCEV), based on a DP2 offshore supply vessel, equipped with motion-compensated decks, walk-to-work systems, and automated load control winches. These innovations offer scalable solutions to reduce downtime and improve responsiveness in offshore wind maintenance.
No recording available for this poster.
