The first turbine for the 800MW Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm, off the coast of Massachusetts, US, has departed from the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal to its location at sea.
Foss Maritime, a US service contractor that provides union jobs for its employees, has partnered with DEME Offshore US to design and build specialised US-flagged barges to transport the GE Haliade-X turbines and blades to the lease area.
The Marmac in New Bedford and the Foss Prevailing Wind in Boston are the only two barges capable of transporting in an upright position GE’s Haliade-X turbine components that when constructed will rise more than 700 feet.
The barges use a specially designed Barge Master technology that uses a patented control system and cylinders that support a platform and actively compensate the motions of the barge.
The wind turbine components are fastened to the motion compensated platform for a smooth ride in ocean conditions.
“It may look easy, but the safe transportation of these components miles over the open water is no small feat,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller.
“While we’ve had many firsts, once this turbine is installed, it will stand as a proud symbol of American’s energy transition.
“I want to thank all of our partners for their continued collaboration and look forward to celebrating the progress of our industry.”
GE will initially load the US-flagged Marmac from the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal with three vertically placed tower sections reaching more than 200 feet in height, three 321-foot-long blades and a nacelle pod that houses the generating components.
Foss will deliver loads weighing more than 1700 tons each, to construction partner DEME Group’s Sea Installer vessel with 300-foot-deep legs stationed 65 miles from New Bedford south of Martha’s Vineyard.
“DEME is proud to partner with Foss Maritime to play a critical role in deploying Vineyard’s offshore wind turbine components on specialised US-flagged barges from New Bedford to the project site offshore,” said DEME Offshore US President Bill White.
Sea Installer is a heavy lift jack up crane vessel that lifts itself out of the water on legs that are over 300 feet in length.
Once elevated, the vessel becomes a platform where the recently upgraded crane, now capable of lifting more than 1600 tons, can install the tower sections, nacelle and blades for each turbine.