GustoMSC has unveiled a feeder vessel design for sites where using a wind transport and installation vessel (WTIV) is not possible.
In 2018 the company received an approval in principle for the vessel Steady Top Feeder Vessel design but has developed it into a more “complete and substantive solution” with BargeMaster.
The Steady Top Feeder Vessel design is for loading wind turbine components in port and transporting them directly to the field.
At the site, in dynamic positioning mode, a dedicated jack-up will be able to lift-off components safely from a motion compensation platform.
With the development of the Steady Top Feeder vessel design and the associated BM-T1500G motion-compensation platform and skidding system GustoMSC has developed a dedicated feeder concept.
The motion-compensation system is an optimised and integrated solution based on the existing and proven BM-T700 platform by BargeMaster.
Via the skidding system, components are transferred from storage position to the motion-compensation platform for lift-off.
GustoMSC said the Steady Top Feeder vessel design is applicable in the US offshore wind market where the Jones Act requires US flagged vessels to be used for the transportation of wind turbine components and also where there is a limited number of ports which can be accessed by large jack-ups.