Palfinger has been contracted by Iemants, a subsidiary of Smulders, to deliver two fully electric jib cranes for the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms in Poland, where the cranes will be installed on the projects’ two offshore substations.
According to Palfinger, this the first time that its fully electric DKJ500e offshore cranes would be installed on an offshore project. Both cranes will be built at Palfinger Marine’s production location in Gdynia, Poland.
In addition to the two electric jib cranes, the company will also deliver six PF160 cranes for both substations, with a lifting capacity of 2,000 kilograms at a significant wave height of two meters in single line of operation.
Palfinger said on 11 November that it had also signed a contract to supply 100 platform cranes for Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3, developed by Equinor and Polenergia, earlier this year.
The company was also selected to deliver more than 100 fully electric fixed boom service cranes for the Baltica 2 offshore wind farm in Poland, developed by PGE and Ørsted.
The new DKJ500e crane is designed for a safe working load of five tonnes at 28 metres outreach and is a further development of the fully electric offshore jib crane Palfinger developed for the oil and gas industry where the cranes are also designed to be fully remotely operated.
“Introducing the electric jib crane technology for the offshore wind segment is a technological milestone and a clear sign of our commitment to constant innovation and to driving electrification in this sector forward” , said S verre Mowinckel-Nilsen , Director Global Key Accounts & Segments at Palfinger Marine. “This project strengthens our footprint in the energy sector and reinforces our role as a reliable partner in the global energy transformation.”
Palfinger says its fully electric jib cranes have lifting capacities up to 40 tonnes, and even more on request, and an outreach of nearly 50 metres on the largest models. Their design minimises the use of weather-exposed components and provides internal space for parking key parts, such as the trolley with the main winch and electric motors, according to the company.
“This makes it an ideal solution for substations on offshore wind farms, which are unmanned, remotely located and where low maintenance is crucial for cost optimization. Moreover, they are equipped with advanced diagnostic systems and remote connectivity. From an onshore control location, the crane can be powered up and maintenance runs can be performed at regular intervals, even during periods of inactivity” , Palfinger said.
Polenergia and Equinor signed a contract with Iemants for the offshore substations and a consortium of Sif and Smulders for 100 transition pieces (TPs) for the Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 offshore wind farms last year.
Bałtyk 2 and Bałtyk 3 will feature 100 Siemens Gamesa SG 14-236 DD wind turbines and have a total capacity of 1,440 MW.
The first electricity from the offshore wind farms is expected in 2027, with full commercial power production scheduled in 2028.