Ampelmann, a Dutch offshore access provider, has signed its first contract in the U.S. offshore wind market. An E1000 motion-compensated system will be supplied to marine transportation and towing company Otto Candies to facilitate operations during the construction of the Southfork, Revolution and Sunrise wind farms: three commercial-scale developments in the northeast U.S. Atlantic. This marks the introduction of Walk to Work (W2W) to the American renewable energy sector.
In Q3 2023, the E1000 will be fitted onto the Paul Candies inspection, maintenance and repair vessel to support the hook-up and commissioning of turbines. As the system compensates for all six degrees of freedom in relation to the vessel and turbine, it will enable safe, consistent and reliable offshore access in sea states up to 4,5m Hs during its year-long operation.
Along with providing safe access for personnel, the system will also be used to hoist cargo, equipment and tools up to a 1,000 kg and the gangway’s fuel transfer capabilities will allow for the testing of the generators and turbines. By converting the Paul Candies into a W2W vessel, the E1000 will enable the servicing of multiple turbines at once, greatly increasing the speed and efficiency of operations.
“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Otto Candies for choosing us to facilitate this important operation,” says Steven Kaub, Ampelmann’s business developer for American offshore wind. “Over the years, we have developed a solid relationship with Otto Candies, and their enduring trust in our systems and services allows us to showcase what we can offer to the US offshore renewable market.”
Over the last 10 years, motion-compensated systems have been used for the American oil and gas sector; this will the first time that the E1000 will be used in the U.S. offshore wind market.
“As these are some of the first commercial scale wind farms in the U.S., we are particularly proud to be a part of this historical accomplishment together with Otto Candies,” remarks Kaub. “This is a significant achievement for the company, and it will highlight the efficiency and safety our systems bring to the American renewable energy sector, as it has done in Europe and Asia.”
