VESSEL REVIEW | Huadong Yuan 308 – Exploration jackup for Chinese offshore wind company

Zhejiang Huadong Construction Engineering has completed construction of a new offshore exploration and testing platform ordered by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina).

Classed by China Classification Society (CCS), Huadong Yuan 308 is a self-elevating platform that will be used mainly for geological survey, exploration drilling, scientific research, and testing. All these activities will be undertaken in support of the construction of future offshore wind farms in Chinese waters.

Four pile legs each measuring 100 metres long and fitted with rectangular pile shoes will enable operation in water depths of 75 metres. CCS said this is deeper than what is possible than any other offshore wind farm survey and testing platform built in China.

The platform’s main body consists of a streamlined hull with a length of 63 metres, a beam of 34.8 metres, and a design draught of 3.2 metres. A dynamic positioning system ensures accuracy to within 50 centimetres, allowing the installation of offshore wind turbines and their associated components to be undertaken with greater precision.

Huadong Yuan 308’s main area of operations will encompass the waters off the southern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang.