Osbit, part of Venterra Group, has delivered a monopile upending hinge to Boskalis to support its latest US East Coast offshore wind operations.
The hinge is initially being used on a project to install a number of monopile foundations.
It is designed to upend offshore wind monopile foundations from their horizontal, stowed position, until they are vertical, securely restraining the structure against environmental loading throughout the process as it rotates through the water column.
The system handles monopiles with a wide range of diameters to maximise Boskalis’ opportunities on future wind farms.
The hinge itself weighs in at 1500 tonnes when fully assembled.
The system is installed on Boskalis’ Bokalift 2 crane vessel and is forming a vital part of the monopile installation process, working in tandem with the vessel’s crane to ensure the foundations are manipulated in a safe and controlled manner, prior to hammering into the seabed.
Osbit has a track record in the design and build of offshore foundation installation equipment, having previously delivered upending hinges, monopile grippers and cleaning tools.
The company’s sales director Ben Webster said: “This is the third upending hinge system Osbit will supply and is our first for Boskalis.
“We are delighted to have successfully delivered this important project, which will enable Boskalis to carry out installation activities in the rapidly growing US offshore wind market.
“Foundation installation is a core technology area for Osbit.
“We continue to develop and deliver systems to meet the demands of increasing foundation and turbine sizes on projects across the globe, and we believe this to be the longest upending hinge produced to date.
“We have collaborated very closely with the Boskalis team, and are delighted to support the system further, following successful installation of the first part of the project.”