Release
DNV launches the world’s first class notation for offshore wind turbine installation units
In response to the emerging offshore wind power market, DNV is launching the world’s first class notation for offshore wind turbine installation units.
The market for wind turbine installation units is growing rapidly as the offshore wind industry picks up pace. The classification of these units is based on DNV’s Offshore Service Specification DNV OSS-101 ‘RULES FOR CLASSIFICATION OF OFFSHORE DRILLING AND SUPPORT UNITS’, which was originally developed for classifying drilling and production vessels used in the oil & gas industry.
Wind turbine installation units may be column-stabilised, self-elevating or ship-shaped units that are tailor made for the installation and maintenance of fixed and floating wind power equipment. They are designed to install the different equipment, such as foundations, columns, generator houses and blades, piece by piece by crane lifts or in one operation using lowering techniques.
“Compared to traditional oil and gas units, these vessels have a different set of safety and technical issues and are not normally designed for the hazards of the oil & gas industry, ie, exposure to extreme weather and hydrocarbons leading to a risk of fire and explosions. This, in addition to increased requests from the industry, has motivated us to launch the new class notation,” says Henning Carlsen, the business development manager in DNV’s Offshore Classification unit.
“DNV has been involved in the wind turbine installation unit market since 2003, when it classed the Mayflower installation vessel. Today, we are in the forefront with new projects in all the major home markets for offshore wind farms, and we expect a significant increase in the coming years as we see several new projects are in different stages of development,” he explains.
The increased involvement in the classification of wind turbine installation vessels also falls naturally into DNV’s already broad portfolio of services to the wind energy market, including comprehensive certification and qualification projects relating to floating and fixed wind turbines.
Additional rules
The new class notation, which will serve as a recipe for how to class wind turbine installation vessels, is currently being piloted and is expected to be added to DNV OSS-101 by October of this year.
The new rules for wind turbine installation units focus on four main areas:
• general design and construction requirements for wind turbine, wave power and tidal power installation units
• design requirements for the different types of wind turbine installation units, which include ship-shaped units, self-elevating units and column-stabilised units
• structural details relating to the lifting operations and the many cycles of repeated vessel operations
• certification of materials and components.
Image
Download an image of the MPI Resolution here. It is owned by Resolution Shipping Ltd, and was built in 2003, and is classed by DNV to the 1A1 Self-elevating Support Unit CRANE E0 DYNPOS-AUT class notation.
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Contact
Henning Carlsen, Henning.Carlsen@dnv.com, Tel: +47 908 17 676
About DNV
DNV is a global provider of risk management services, helping customers to safely and responsibly improve their business performance. DNV is an independent foundation with the purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment. Through its network of 300 offices in 100 countries, the company serves a range of industries with a special focus on the maritime and energy sectors, combining its technology expertise and industry knowledge.
The use of Mobile Offshore Units (MOUs) to explore for and produce offshore oil and gas reserves poses tough challenges with regard to the documentation of acceptable safety standards. The basis for classification is DNV’s own rules, which have been developed over decades. These rules combine the most advanced theoretical evaluations with our longstanding experience of ships and offshore units operating in the marine environment. They also incorporate relevant internationally recognised industry standards for specific safety issues.