Van Oord’s offshore installation vessel, Aeolus, is being upgraded at the Damen Shiprepair yard in Rotterdam to meet the demand for wind power as the pressure for renewable energy increases.
Jan Kees Pilaar, Damen Shipreair and Conversion, told journalists during a tour of the shiprepair yard in Rotterdam that the vessel was undergoing work to increase its overall capacity.
Aeolus, which assists with the construction of offshore wind farms, will feature a new crane built by Huisman, that will be able to lift 1,600 tonnes, replacing the old 900 tonne weight lifting capability crane.
The main deck will also be raised 1m above the current main deck and the legs will be extended to allow the vessel to work in deeper waters. Technical developments have enabled bigger wind turbines to be installed at greater depths. These upgrades will help Aeolus operate in water depths of more than 45m and install larger turbines with ease to generate more wind power.
Dolf Elsevier van Griethuysen, Van Oord Offshore Wind Projects BV, believes that there will be an increasing demand on the offshore wind supply market and the capacity for producing this energy must be increased to meet this demand.
At the moment, DNV GL is certifying turbines with wind power capabilities of 10MW, but Kim Mørk Executive Vice President, DNV GL Renewables Certification, believes that by 2023 wind turbines of 20MW will be available.
The upgraded Aeolus, which is expected to be completed in early 2018, will enable faster and more efficient construction of offshore wind farms. This will help to meet the demands for offshore wind supply and increase the availability of renewable energy.
The first project the vessel will work on once all work is completed is currently unknown.
Fathom-News
editor@fathom-mi.com
