The first steel has been cut for Seaway 7’s next-generation wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) at the China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) facility in Jiangsu, China.
The ceremony marks the first major milestone in bringing its GustoMSC NG-14000XL-G jack-up vessel to the market, Seaway 7 said.
The company has also revealed the new build vessel’s name – Seaway Ventus – meaning wind in Latin. Seaway Ventus, previously known by project name VIND1, will be delivered in the second quarter of 2023.
Seaway Ventus will be amongst the world’s largest jack-up installation vessels, designed specifically to transport and install the next generation offshore wind turbines and XL monopile foundations.
The vessel’s inaugural project will be the transport and installation of wind turbines for Ørsted’s Borkum Riffgrund 3 and Gode Wind 03 offshore wind farms in Germany.
First announced in October, the contract was signed on 11 November and is subject to Ørsted’s final investment decision.
Seaway Ventus will be capable of installing wind turbine components in water depths of 65 metres, to a height of up to 182 metres above the sea, and will feature a telescopic leg-encircling crane with a maximum lifting capacity of 2,500t in retracted mode and 1,600t in extended mode, Seaway 7 said.
The company said it placed special emphasis on providing a class-leading environmental footprint by way of energy and heat recovery, battery hybrid solutions as well as a sophisticated electrical and control system, reducing CO2 emissions by 20 per cent compared to similar units.
The vessel will also be prepared for hydrogen fuel cells which will cut emissions even further when such technology becomes available.
Subsea 7 and OHT have recently established Seaway 7 ASA as a standalone company after combining their respective fixed foundation offshore wind businesses. VIND1, now Seaway Ventus, was originally ordered by OHT.