Ship & Boat International: eNews November/December 2017
As the US gears up to further develop its offshore wind infrastructure, designer GustoMSC has unveiled a new jack-up concept, “peeled down to the essence of safe and efficient wind turbine installation”, the company claims.
The SEA-3250-LT jack-up has been designed with simplicity in mind and for adoption by multiple shipyards. For instance, the unit can be ordered as a non-propelled unit or without a significant accommodation block, in order to keep down construction weight and costs – however, customers can specify these features if they so wish.
The jack-up’s hull will feature a length of 69.9m, a breadth of 40m and a depth of 6m, and the unit is designed to draw 3.6m. Its tubular legs are set to measure 90.3m in length, in order to handle water depths of up to 45m – a typical depth for many of the potential offshore wind farm sites off the north-east coast of the US. The unit will also be capable of holding its own against 13.3m wave heights.
The SEA-3250-LT is also set to feature a sizeable free deck area, spanning some 2,100m² in total. A main pedestal crane, rated 800tonnes SWL at an outreach of 25m, and fitted with a boom of just over 99m, will be capable of handling most turbines rated 8MW to 9.5MW, as well as foundations, and will be able to lift objects to heights of 110m above deck. Options also exist for an auxiliary crane and/or a helideck. Overall, the SEA-3250-LT will feature a variable load capacity of 2,600tonnes.
GustoMSC predicts that the SEA-3250-LT’s combined engine output will be in the region of 2,050kW. The jack-up will be able to store up to 115,000litres of fuel oil and 100,000litres of potable water.
