Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein has unveiled a new jack-up design tailored for the offshore wind industry.
The J102 heavy-lift vessel, part of the company’s new X-Jack series, features a 2500-tonne capacity main crane with a 160-metre hook height.
Up to eight 8MW or four 15MW next-generation turbines can be carried by the ship, which is designed around a patented lay-out described a “simple cruciform primary structure” that unlocks weight reductions of up to 15%.
“Positioning the legs widely apart in a square pattern results in efficient use of available deck space, at the same time effectively counteracting the crane overturning moments,” said Ulstein.
“This set-up also creates more body around the legs, enabling the use of large spud cans to reduce loads on the seabed.”
Ulstein added that no ballast water is needed for lifting as the vessel is “naturally balanced”, large spud cans reduce the pressure on the seabed and the beam of the vessel allows for floating lift operations. The J102 is 145-metres long with an 88.4-metre width.
“The launch of the X-Jack series underlines Ulstein’s firm commitment to serve the offshore renewables industry”, said Tore Ulstein, chief operating officer design & solutions.
“Floating vessels we see as the preferred solution for foundation installation, where self-propelled jack-ups are the chosen tool for installing wind turbines,” added Ko Stroo, product manager at Ulstein Design & Solutions.
“With the ULSTEIN J102, the latest addition to our X-Jack series, we believe it is the closest one can get to an optimal yet cost effective jack-up design.”
“The Ulstein X-Jack series is part of our strategy to complement our offshore wind design portfolio and strengthen our position as a long-term partner for supporting the offshore wind industry with sustainable and cost-efficient assets,” added managing director Edwin van Leeuwen.
“Being innovative in our designs and focused on market needs, we achieved market leadership in offshore wind service vessels and heavy lift construction vessels. For wind turbine installation jack-ups, we like to become the industry’s preferred choice as well.”