UK: OSBIT’s Offshore Access System to Get Deployed at Walney OWF

UK based, OSBIT Power (OP) announced that its latest MaXccess‐T18 offshore access system is to be deployed at DONG Energy and SSE’s Walney Offshore Wind Farm to provide safe high sea state access at the exposed west coast site.

Exactly one year on from exhibiting its original MaXccess‐T12 system, at Seawork 2012, on board the Fred.Olsen Windcarrier Bayard 3, OP is pleased to announce it is again installing a system on board a Bayard vessel. This latest deployment sees OP’s MaXccess‐T18 system being installed on the newly delivered Bayard 7 for an initial 12 month charter at Walney Offshore Wind Farm. Installation works are currently underway in Denmark with the system due to begin operations from Barrow on 1 July.

OP’s MaXccess‐T18 system has been specifically designed for vessels over 18m in length, where clients require access in above 2m Hs conditions. Tracking the trend for larger crew transfer vessels and in response to calls for safer access in above 2m Hs conditions OP designed and built the first T18 system in early 2013. The development of the T18 system follows the successful entry into service of OP’s T12 systems in 2012.

MaXccess is an ingeniously simple means of providing safer high sea state access. MaXccess grips on to one of the boat landing buffer tubes creating a stronger more stable connection than can be achieved by a vessel thrusting alone. By allowing the vessel to roll, pitch and yaw passively, MaXccess avoids the need for complex hydraulics or prediction of vessel motions, making the systems reliable and simple to operate. The compact and lightweight systems occupy minimal deck space and can be readily installed on a wide range of vessels to increase their access capability to industry leading levels.

MaXccess‐T12 systems have been operating at SSE and RWE’s Greater Gabbard site since August 2012, and Scira’s Sheringham Shoal site since January 2013. With many thousands of safe transfers completed both systems have provided a vital increase in working days for the two sites.

In June OP was approached by DONG for a solution to reduce weather days at its Walney site. This latest deployment will see OP’s MaXccess system increase the wave height limit of transfers from Bayard 7 to above 2m Hs. OP and Windcarrier look forward to providing the highest levels of safety and performance for Dong and SSE in the coming months, setting new standards for safe high sea state transfers.

OP will be exhibiting at Seawork, Southampton 25 – 27 June, Stand A145, and looks forward to discussing MaXccess for specific vessels or projects.

DONG Energy is the developer, operator and majority owner (with a 50.1% stake) of the Walney Offshore Wind Farm, which consists of 102 Siemens 3.6 MW turbines, for a total capacity of 367 MW. The first phase, Walney 1, was completed in July 2011, while the second, Walney 2, was commissioned in June 2012. SSE also has a 25.1% stake in the project alongside DONG Energy and OPW.

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Press release, June 25, 2013; Image: JPPR