Kongsberg Maritime has announced a suite of new technologies designed to streamline and industrialize the transportation and installation (T&I) of floating offshore wind turbines. The solutions cover the process from anchor and mooring installation to electrical cable pull-in, aiming to provide a comprehensive offering for the floating offshore wind market, according to the company's release.
Key elements of Kongsberg Maritime’s approach include new vessel designs and methodology for anchor and mooring installation, a new approach for towing turbines to site, a new integrated tensioning concept for mooring lines, and an innovative cable pull-in system.
Kongsberg Maritime has developed two new vessel concepts: the UT 7900 FWIV AH (Floating Wind Installation Vessel – Anchor Handling) and the UT 7600 FWIV Subsea. The UT 7900 FWIV AH features a triple cross-tensioning winch system capable of tensioning and proof-loading up to three mooring lines simultaneously.
“This vessel can pull up to 900 tonnes in a single fall configuration, ensuring efficient and safe anchor handling, with reduced energy consumption,” the company stated. The UT 7600 FWIV Subsea is designed for handling, storing, and deploying mooring elements.
Kongsberg Maritime’s Tow Assist system utilizes Dynamic Positioning (DP) technology to enhance situational awareness, safety, and efficiency during turbine tow-out operations. “Tow Assist builds on the K-Pos DP system, enabling unpowered floating structures to become DP-enabled during complex towing operations by calculating and distributing the optimal allocation of the connected vessels,” the company explained.
The Integrated Tensioning Concept uses Permanent Magnet (PM) winches to improve the efficiency and safety of mooring line hook-up operations by compensating for relative movements between the floater and the vessel.
Kongsberg Maritime’s new cable pull-in method places all necessary equipment on the vessel, reducing the equipment and personnel required on the floating turbine.