New 14MW wind turbine installation vessel revealed
Atlas A-Klass vessel specifically dimensioned for installing wind turbines on top of pre-installed foundations.
By Marc Allen
Danish consultancy Knud E. Hansen has announced a new design for a wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV). The new ship is designed to carry four new-generation 14MW wind turbines and features an innovative light-weight jacking system designed to withstand 5000 jacking cycles.
Called the Atlas A-Klass, the vessel is specifically sized for transporting and installing turbines on top of existing foundations. Hansen says the new ship is optimised for jacking operations and will carry a 1,600-2,500 tonne crane.
The in-house developed WTIV is powered by eight generators connected to a DC grid and a battery pack, allowing the whole system to run at variable speeds for maximum fuel efficiency. Ingeniously, the power system makes it possible to recover approximately 60% of the energy used for jacking.
