Ensuring safe, efficient installation of offshore wind farms

Installing an offshore wind farm is a highly complex job and there are many challenges to tackle. One pressing concern is “pile runs”. A pile run can occur while turbine foundations, or piles, are hammered into the seabed. Layered soil can lead to the sudden free fall of piles, which in turn puts an enormous strain on cranes, a phenomenon known as a “shock load”.

Moreover, because the installation of offshore wind turbines typically takes place in harsh conditions, the weather window for operations is often narrow, making installation less efficient and more costly.

Integrated into a single unit and mounted between the hook and the load, Cranemaster® shock absorbers and passive heave compensators protect the crane, the lifted object and personnel during offshore lifting operations.

The Cranemaster unit comes in different sizes, with a load range of 0.5 to 1 600 metric tons and a stroke range of 0.5 to 5 metres. Several units can be connected in parallel for increased load or in series for increased stroke.

Standard units can be equipped with additional features, including the Cranemaster® Adaptive Control system, which manually or automatically changes settings for the various phases of lifting operations: lift-off, splash zone crossing, lowering and subsea landing.

Cranemaster shock absorbers and heave compensators make offshore wind installation projects safer. They are reliable, easy to use and certified according DNV standards.

The shock absorbers and heave compensators extend the weather window for offshore lifting operations, reducing installation time and costs for offshore wind farms. This in turn reduces operating time for offshore installation vessels and associated carbon emissions.

Importantly, they also improve personnel safety and reduce the risk of damage to costly equipment.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global offshore wind market grew nearly 30 per cent per year from 2010 to 2018, and is expected to reach USD 1 trillion by 2040.

Cranemaster was established in 1983 and has been involved in nearly 1 000 offshore heavy lift projects, including installation of monopiles, jacket foundations, templates and transition pieces. The company’s solutions are suitable for use in different types of offshore wind installations worldwide.