Belgium-headquartered DEME Offshore and Denmark-based Liftra will partner to develop a novel offshore installation methodology for the next generation of offshore wind turbines.
The Liftra crane technology will be fully integrated onboard DEME’s vessels on an exclusive basis.
Liftra is providing the design and engineering, based on its patented LT1500 Turbine Installation Crane Technology, and this will be combined with DEME’s engineering, operations, and installation technology.
The Offshore Turbine Installation Crane offers the possibility of installing higher and heavier wind turbines using existing vessels at a lower cost, while at the same time reducing the environmental footprint, and is suitable for both bottom-fixed and floating turbines, according to the partners.
“There are many advantages of this new joint technology, the major one being the ability to install fixed or floating turbines from a floating vessel, which naturally means there are no limitations regarding water depth. As well as this, there are no longer any lifting height issues and relative motions at high heights can be controlled. This new method also reduces the environmental footprint on the seabed at the wind farm’s location and in port”, said Bart de Poorter , General Manager at DEME Offshore Renewables.
Due to its flexibility, the system can be exclusively integrated for use on board DEME’s floating offshore heavy-lift vessels such as Orion or Green Jade , as well as its existing jack-up vessels.
The partners will develop and integrate the technology in stages and following an extensive testing programme, the new system is expected to be operational in 2027 , partners said.