Deploying ‘Orion’, the newest member of the DEME fleet and the most innovative vessel in the offshore wind industry, DEME Offshore has successfully installed the first XXL monopile at Parkwind’s Arcadis Ost 1 offshore wind farm in Germany, according to the company's release.
DEME’s revolutionary, floating DP3 offshore installation vessel is set to install the 28 giant monopiles, which at 110 m long are the largest monopile foundations ever built in Europe, weighing more than 2,000 tonnes each. ‘Orion’ is the first floating monohulled vessel able to perform these operations, speeding up installation times dramatically.
Alongside its ability to handle the next generation mega foundations and turbines, ‘Orion’ has dual fuel engines and is being powered by LNG at the Arcadis Ost 1 project. It is the first foundation installation vessel in the industry operating on LNG, significantly reducing the CO2 footprint of the operations.
Arcadis Ost 1 is located in the German Baltic Sea to the northeast of Rügen island. Every element of this offshore wind project pushes the limits of industry standards. ‘Orion’ is equipped with a 5,000-tonne crane and a tailor-made, motion compensated gripper system able to handle enormous foundations of up to 2,500 tonnes.
The integrated motion compensated pile gripper tool enables the crew to upend the monopiles, which are transported horizontally on deck. Coupled with the vessel’s DP3 capability, the gripper enables the monopiles to remain vertical and stable, despite motions and waves. In the gripper several noise mitigation systems are integrated in order to reduce the underwater noise during hammering.
With a total installed power of 44,180 kW and at 216.5 m long, ‘Orion’ has a spacious, unobstructed deck and a deadweight that has been maximised so it can handle the heaviest monopiles, jackets and wind turbine components.
DEME is a world leader in the highly specialised fields of dredging, solutions for the offshore energy market, environmental and infra marine works. The company can build on more than 140 years of know-how and experience is a front runner in innovation and new technologies.