Fred. Olsen Windcarrier has devised a solution which allows the jack-up Bold Tern to simultaneously perform bunkering and loading of wind turbine components for the Borkum Riffgrund 2 project at the Port of Esbjerg.
The solution, created together with relevant stakeholders in execution, includes the use of the hydraulic operated boat landing that extends below the hull and acts as a barrier between the vessel and a bunker barge. This way, the bunkering operations are not limited by a large air gap while Bold Tern is jacked up, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier said.
The bunkering procedure starts two to three hours before high tide with the deployment of the boat landing. A bunker barge then moors to Bold Tern landing with spring lines on the boat landing at their level, and with head and stern lines up on the bollards on deck level.
The bunkering operation stops two to three hours before low tide. For Borkum Riffgrund only 200-350t is bunkered which only takes a couple of hours including connecting and disconnecting. This gives a buffer time of 40% in case of unforeseen delays, the operator said.
Bold Tern started installing the MHI Vestas 8MW turbines at the site in the German North Sea earlier this month and has so far completed four load-outs from the Port of Esbjerg.
Ørsted’s 450MW wind farm comprises 56 turbines slated for commissioning in 2019.