The delivery of a special wind turbine installation jack-up vessel to OHT ASA, a Norwegian heavy transport and installation contractor, to be built by the Chinese shipbuilder China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI), moved on Thursday 11 February 2021 a step closer when the Chinese contractor subcontracted the American company NOV to design and supply equipment for the jack-up vessel.
The wind turbine installation vessel to be built for OHT is is specifically tailored to create a next-generation offshore wind installation unit with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.
OHT has made a name for itself by transporting offshore oil and gas drilling rigs, dredgers, and other heavy machinery. The company has plans to transition from oil & gas to renewables by focusing its transportation fleet on offshore wind foundation, and turbine installation tasks.
The group plans to exit oil & gas markets entirely within 2026, with the exception of sustainable oil & gas decommissioning projects, according to Offshore Engineering.
The GustoMSC heavy lift crane will make the jack-up vessel fully capable of taking on the installation and maintenance requirements of new generation offshore wind turbine generators.
In addition to the special crane, the vessel is designed with an optimal hull shape, battery hybrid solutions, and an electrical control system to reduce emissions by 20% compared with similar-sized installation vessels. To further reduce the carbon footprint, the vessel is prepared for the use of fuel cells powered by hydrogen, the company added.
The American company NOV, which last year changed its name from National Oilwell Varco said they will execute the order “In close collaboration with VIND Offshore Installation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of OHT.”
China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) in Jiangsu will construct the vessel and will deliver it to OHT in the first half of 2023.
