Fistuca has won this year’s Offshore Wind Innovation Award for its Blue Wedge Connection, a new concept used for connecting offshore wind substructures.
According to Offshore Wind Innovators, the organizer, Fistuca convinced both the jury and the audience that the current issues with bolted and grouted connections can be tackled with its new maintenance-free technology.
Besides Fistuca, the finalists were TWD and its Hammock Seafastening and Qlayers with an automatic printing system.
The three companies showed their innovations to an audience of offshore wind professionals at the Netherlands Offshore Wind Quarterly meeting of Van Oord and Siemens, which gave 51% of its votes to the Dutch company.
Earlier, a jury comprising Van Oord’s Edwin van de Brug, Tim Raaijmakers from Deltares and Caspar van der Geest from JBR discussed the three concepts and also selected the Blue Wedge Connection as the most innovative.
Offshore Wind Innovators said that the Blue Wedge Connection appealed to the jury as it aims for zero maintenance, reduces installation time and limits steel use, in comparison to the issues with re-bolting programs and grout adjustments, which, sometimes unforeseen, lead to high maintenance costs.
All three finalists will receive a one-day workshop to facilitate market introduction and media attention.