A mobile offshore port concept being developed by Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam in combination with efficient installation vessels could reduce the transport and installation time on offshore wind projects by nearly 20%, the Dutch engineering specialist said.
Demands to build offshore wind projects as cost-efficiently as possible are found to be fulfilled by the presence of an offshore port near the offshore wind farm during the construction period. However, in order to make such a port commercially attractive, it should be easily transportable for utilizing it on multiple wind farm projects over its lifetime, Vuyk said.
The high potential concepts are a single floating structure, a single jack-up structure, and a small jack-up and a floating structure. Based on the analysis, all three port concepts are expected to be profitable, according to Vuyk.
The port concepts are focusing on the installation of offshore wind turbines.
Each concept has a storage area of 17,500m2 and one quay to load and unload the turbines. The turbines are supplied by dedicated feeder vessels, while installation is executed by optimized installation vessels.
Prior to this, foundations of varying sizes and types need to be installed. The current development in this market moves to the floating installation of the foundations and transition pieces, the company said. In parallel with the offshore port research, Vuyk simultaneously developed a vessel for installation of the next generation wind turbine foundations.