Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract with maritime services and solutions provider MacGregor to deliver a pile gripper guidance system (PGGS) for OHT’s Alfa Lift vessel.
Alfa Lift, which is scheduled for delivery in 2021, will be the world’s largest custom-built offshore wind foundation installation vessel, equipped with a 3000-tonne main crane.
MacGregor will deliver a motion-compensated pile gripper frame, while Kongsberg’s PGGS will integrate the gripper with other systems on board Alfa Lift.
The vessel’s 10,000 square metre “smart” deck will carry up to 14 XL monopiles per voyage and will also be fully submersible to a depth of 14.66m.
A K-Pos dual-redundant dynamic positioning system will interface with a K-Chief marine automation system and K-Thrust thruster control system.
A K-Bridge-integrated navigation system will provide a single, intuitive user interface for the ship’s multiple connected systems.
Kongsberg Maritime and MacGregor have collaborated to develop the new, integrated monopile installation solution.
By removing the need for temporary mooring procedures during installation operations, the solution will “enhance safety, productivity and mission consistency”, generating “substantial savings” in time and money for the specialist transport and installation contractor OHT.
MacGregor sales and marketing innovations director Kristina Arutjunova said: “Working with Kongsberg Maritime and OHT on this solution has been a mutually rewarding process.
“We’re significantly raising the bar for safety, sustainability, precision and efficiency by dispensing with so many of the challenges traditionally posed by complex offshore operations of this nature.”