DEME formally named its newest jackup wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) in a ceremony at the Port of Oslo in Norway on Wednesday, March 25.
The DNV-classed Norse Wind is the first in a new series of vessels that have been designed by NOV and GustoMSC to be capable of installing the next generation of large offshore wind turbines. Construction took place at CIMC Raffles in China.
The WTIV has an LOA of 151.1 metres, a beam of 58 metres, accommodation for 130 personnel, and a total deck space of 5,600 square metres for carrying approximately 16,100 tonnes of assorted payloads.
Four 120-metre pile legs, a DP2 system, and a 3,200-ton crane will enable installation to be performed in water depths of up to 70 metres, such as in the harsh offshore environments of the North Sea.
Norse Wind is equipped to install wind turbines with rotor diameters of more than 300 metres and XXL monopiles weighing up to 3,000 tons each. Typical transport configurations include six 15MW turbines, five 18MW turbines, or four 20MW turbines.
CIMC Raffles said Norse Wind is also the world’s first WTIV designed with a full DC power distribution system. Unlike conventional vessels, the WTIV consumes significantly more electrical power during jacking and lifting operations, and a DC power system was incorporated to overcome the inefficiencies and high energy consumption of traditional AC systems.