It hardly gets any bigger than this!
When Vestas offshore wind turbines are shipped from Bornholm to the Arcadis Ost offshore wind farm, their installation is to take place in a completely new way and by the world's second-largest installation vessel, Thialf.
From Galløkken in Rønne, there is now an unobstructed view of the components that Vestas is assembling and preparing prior to installation for Parkwinds” Arcadis Ost offshore wind farm, which is located in German waters. ”The actual installation of the turbines will take place in a completely new and exciting way," says Jakob Hauberg Nielsen, Project Manager at Vestas.
The installation vessel to be used is called Thialf and is part of Heerema's offshore fleet. Thialf, the world's second-largest installation vessel, can probably best be described as a giant floating crane. It is so large that it cannot enter port in Bornholm, and can only just pass under the Great Belt Bridge after a modification to the crane.
Despite its size challenge, Thialf is well suited for the installation task, as seabed conditions can be a challenge for installation vessels that, during the actual installation, are lifted above the water surface on jack-up legs, whereas Thialf instead remains afloat throughout the entire operation. And it is precisely the installation operation that will take place in a new way.
The installation vessel remains out on the site, unlike when the turbines at Kriegers Flak were installed, where the installation vessel itself came to Rønne Harbour to collect the turbines. Now, a barge will instead come into port to collect turbine components for three turbines, which are then sailed out to the installation vessel. The turbine components are lifted onto Thialf, and from here the entire tower is lifted onto the monopile. The nacelle is lifted onto a ”tower dummy” on the vessel, where the three blades are mounted before the nacelle with the blades assembled is lifted over and mounted on the correct tower – all while Thialf is afloat.
”This installation method has not been used previously,” tells Jacob Nielsen, and continues, ”so it will be very interesting to follow. The installation of offshore wind farms is organised differently from farm to farm, including the choice of vessels to be included in the installation work. It will be the farm owner or the chosen turbine manufacturer who is responsible for the choice of vessels, and not something the ports have any influence on.”
Lone Reppien Thomsen from Offshore Center Bornholm (OCB), who is also a project participant in the ”Ready for Energy Island Bornholm” project, has just taken part in this year's major offshore wind trade fair in Hamburg, with more than 1,400 exhibitors and 30,000 participants, and turbine sizes were one of the major topics of conversation. Turbine sizes are referred to in MW. The turbines for Kriegers Flak were 8.5 MW, the turbines for Arcadis Ost are 9.5 MW, and there is talk of building vessels to handle 20 MW turbines.
”As turbines become larger and larger, there is a need for ships, ports and the equipment used to handle turbine components to become larger too,” says Jeppe la Cour, Chief Business Officer – Offshore at Rønne Havn A/S, ”the Port of Rønne has been built precisely to accommodate these sizes," he continues.
Lone says that OCB is also aware of the development: ”At OCB we are of course following this, because the service delivered at the port must be able to keep up, and this can also have a bearing on the way a port tenant wants their work area organised, which is precisely some of the work that often involves Bornholm-based businesses.”.
Thialf has now passed under the Great Belt Fixed Link without a scratch and is on its way to the site.
Offshore Center Bornholm
Offshore Center Bornholm currently has 23 members, both companies that can handle primary tasks related to offshore and others with a broader focus.
More info: www.ocbornholm.com
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The article was written in connection with the Ready for Energy Island Bornholm project
More info about the project Ready for Energy Island Bornholm: Ready for Energy Island Bornholm