Kongsberg Maritime Introduces Transport & Installation Solutions for Floating Wind

February 6, 2025, by Adnan Memija

Kongsberg Maritime has unveiled a range of methods designed to transform and industrialize the transportation and installation (T&I) of floating offshore wind turbines.

According to the Norway-headquartered company, the new solutions promise to streamline the entire process, from anchor and mooring installation to electrical cable pull-in, ensuring that turbines are ready to be connected to energy grids.

Four elements that are outlined in the floating offshore wind approach are new vessel designs and methodology for anchor and mooring installation, a new approach for towing turbines to the site, a new integrated tensioning concept for mooring lines, and an innovative cable pull-in system.

Kongsberg Maritime said that two new vessel concepts, designed for large-scale mooring and installation operations, are key elements in the novel solutions.

The anchor handling version of the floating wind installation vessel (UT 7900 FWIV AH) features a triple cross-tensioning winch system capable of tensioning and proof-loading up to three mooring lines simultaneously with a reduction in bollard pull requirements. According to the company, the vessel can pull up to 900 tonnes in a single-fall configuration, ensuring efficient and safe anchor handling with reduced energy consumption.

“This vessel offers a new approach, and because of the high volume and repetitive nature of the operations, we’ve built in additional rope and chain storage. The whole point behind this new set-up is that you deploy the rope, while preparing the next one, and do it in a safe environment, which you can’t do on a normal anchor handler,” said Gunnar Thorsen, Senior Vice President of Business Concepts at Kongsberg Maritime.

The subsea construction vessel design concept, (UT 7600 FWIV Subsea), is equipped with advanced systems for handling, storing, and deploying mooring elements.

To address the challenges of transporting giant turbines to offshore fields, Kongsberg Maritime has developed Tow Assist. The solution builds on the K-Pos Dynamic Positioning (DP) system, enabling unpowered floating structures to become DP-enabled during complex towing operations by calculating and distributing the optimal allocation of the connected vessels, said Kongsberg Maritime.

The Integrated Tensioning Concept is a solution designed to enhance the efficiency and safety of mooring line hook-up operations, according to the company. This system compensates for relative movements between the floater and the vessel, which could increase the operational weather window and ensure smoother operations.

The new concept utilises Kongsberg Maritime’s Permanent Magnet (PM) winches, known for their high torque and dynamic capabilities, said the firm.

“The Integrated Tensioning Concept monitors the motion of the floater, allowing the vessel winch to compensate, removing peak loads and hazardous situations. This results in a much smoother hook-up process and significantly increases the operational weather window,” said Runar Hjelle, Sales Director Offshore Construction & Support at Kongsberg Maritime.

A new method for cable pull-in operations, is a key element of Kongsberg Maritime’s end-to-end process by reducing requirements for equipment and people on the floater, enhancing safety, and speeding up the overall rate of installation of the wind farm array, according to the press release.

“With the new, patented method, all necessary equipment is placed on the vessel, significantly reducing the complexity and risk associated with the operation. This new approach offers several advantages, including enhanced safety by reducing the number of people onboard the floater, to a minimum during the pull-in operation,” said Thorsen.

“Equipment lifting operations and personnel transfer are minimised which allows operations to continue in harsher weather conditions. This is crucial for maintaining year-round productivity and speeds up the overall rate of installation of the wind farm array.”