Vessel supply chain shapes up for offshore wind

Various companies are aimed to provide highly developed port facilities that include sophisticated supply chain of service and installation vessels, to fulfill the UK's Round 3 plan, adding up to 25 GW to the country's installed wind energy capacity. Mayflower Resolution, operated by Yorkshire-based MPI Off shore, is a self-propelled six-legged jack-up with a ship-shaped hull that enables it to travel to off shore locations at speeds of up to 10.5 knots. A2SEA, owned by DONG Energy, has its own crew and is include key operations such as control and precision. Huisman's concept for a wind turbine 'shuttle', designed for safe operation in waves up to 3.5 m without the need for jacking, exploits the Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) principle. The WindCat Mk4, designed primarily by Dutch company Vripack and being built by Bloemsma & Van Breemen, is designed to carry 50 people up to 300 miles offshore and offers considerable stability in a seaway.