Recently delivered by the Japan Marine United (JMU) shipyard to Shimizu Corp., the GustoMSC designed and equipped offshore wind turbine installation vessel Blue Wind is Japan’s largest WTIV to date, and will enable Shimizu Corp. to efficiently install foundations and wind turbines, helped by an innovative telescoping crane.
Shimizu Corp. selected GustoMSC , a subsidiary of Houston-headquartered NOV Inc., to develop the large-capacity WTIV following a competitive bidding process in 2019. After extensive evaluations of the installation challenges offshore Japan, which include seasonal typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis, NOV proposed the GustoMSC SC-14000XL tailored jack-up design.
The WTIV design is specifically tailored to Shimizu’s requirements. The vessel is 142 meters long, 50 meters wide, and can accommodate up to 130 personnel. It is also equipped with the well-proven GustoMSC variable speed rack and pinion jacking system.
NOV also delivered the world’s first fully integrated offshore telescoping leg encircling crane for the vessel. This enables the vessel to install foundations and turbines. When deployed in a retracted mode, the crane has a safe working load of 2,500 tons with a lifting height of 118 meters above the deck. Keeping the crane boom in the retracted mode without an extension over the bow avoids sailing and maneuvering restrictions during transit and in port areas.
The telescoping crane can then easily transition to an extended mode to install turbines at a height of up to 158 meters above the deck and with a maximum safe working load of 1,250 tons. This innovation results in a state-of-the-art, competitive product for Shimizu’s large offshore wind turbine projects.
