Norway-based company OIM Wind will install a next-generation Wind Turbine Installation Unit (WTIU) by Kongsberg Maritime (KM) that will reduce energy consumption by up to 30 per cent. The installation is destined to be among the largest of its type.

A Letter of Intent was signed between Chinese shipbuilder Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore and KM to deliver the BT-220IU Wind Turbine Installation Unit.

The vessel will be suitable for transporting and installing multiple sets of next- and future-generation wind turbines, and their foundations. The agreement provides the option for another vessel of identical design.

The new vessel, which is expected to be delivered by the end of 2022, will feature a KM Integrated Solution for Wind Turbine Installation Units. This proven solution combines KM’s motion control, propulsion and dynamic positioning functionalities to maintain operability in all conditions.

Monitoring and controlling of the KM components will be handled by a K-Chief 700 marine automation system, and the company’s scope of delivery is rounded out with a comprehensive Digital Solution with a new planning, advisory, monitoring and reporting tool to improve the safety and operation of the vessel.

Included in the delivery are Bergen LNG (liquified natural gas) engines, together with an LNG Fuel Gas Supply System. KM’s new state of the art PM azimuth thrusters will secure optimized performance both for transit, maneuvering and dynamic positioning. The scope of supply also includes an array of appropriate deck machinery.

The electrical system will make use of KM’s Energy Storage Solution, a green, load-smoothing initiative which will optimize power production and enable the vessel to operate for limited periods on battery power alone. By allowing these stretches of zero-emission running, the solution will reduce the need for installed power and minimize maintenance costs, and can reduce energy consumption by up to 30%.

With the highly efficient power plant running on LNG the vessel will be the most environmentally friendly WTIU built to date.

OIM founder, president and chief executive Oddgeir Indrestrand, said: “OIM has been working closely with Kongsberg Maritime for many years, and we are very happy to include their advanced range of future-proof equipment and solutions into our units.”

“It’s a source of real pride for us to be such an integral part of the specification for this new wind turbine installation unit,” says Brynjulv Standal, vice president sales-offshore, Kongsberg Maritime. “The environmentally friendly principles which shape its design, construction and operation mirror our own ambitions to engender sustainability in offshore wind projects, and of course in all maritime sectors. Our technologies are a key element in achieving these green goals.”

Source: https://vpoglobal.com/2021/01/25/oim-wind-to-install-kongberg-wind-turbine-installation-unit/