ABS has granted Approval in Principal (AIP) to Neptun Ship Design for its energy efficient Wind Turbine Transport Vessel design.
The Blue Azurit design is the first to support transporting parts for turbines greater than 9 Mega Watts (MW). The 178m long design allows wind turbine manufacturers to produce full length welded towers ready for installation.
The vessel has been designed to be highly energy efficient, picking up components from the supplier’s berth and transporting them to an offshore harbour, or fed to the installation vessel. The vessel is powered by frequency controlled gensets and driven by VFD propulsion units, enabling easy pickup and transfer.
The purpose of the Blue Azurit is to help the offshore wind industry reduce costs, minimise project risks, and support renewable energy targets.
Blue Azurit is also able to transport such cargo direct to Neptun Ship Design’s jackup installation vessel Blue Amber, intent to supply – Just in Time.
ABS conducted a preliminary engineering plan review, concluding that the conceptual engineering is feasible for the intended application and, in principle, is in compliance with the ABS Rules for Building and Classing Offshore Support Vessels, 2018.
Wei Huang, ABS director, Global Offshore, commented: “The scale of offshore wind turbines continues to increase steadily, offering greater efficiencies to the market. We are working with Neptun to verify compliance with ABS Rules, as it strives to deliver enhanced vessel capabilities supporting the wind industry’s continued growth, while increasing reliability and efficiency.”
