WIND TURBINE SHUTTLE

HUISMAN PRODUCT BROCHURE

01DESCRIPTION 03

1.1 Vessel General 03

1.2 Purpose of the Vessel 04

1.3 High Workability 04

1.4 Installation Scenarios 05

1.5 High Transit Speed and Excellent Seakeeping 06

1.6 Running on LNG Fuel 06

1.7 DP3 System 07

1.8 Vessel Motion Compensation System 07

1.9 Motion Compensation in the Hoisting System 08

1.10 Ballast System 09

1.11 Structural Design 09

1.12 Maintenance, Repair & Decommisioning 10

1.3 Additional Applications of the Vessel 10

1.4 Shallow Draft Catamaran Version 10

02TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 11

2.1 Vessel 11

2.2 Top Side Equipment 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WIND TURBINE SHUTTLE

Artist’s impression of WTS

1. DESCRIPTION

1.1 Vessel general

To improve the efficiency of offshore wind turbine installation,

Huisman developed the Wind Turbine Shuttle: a dynamically

positioned, fast sailing (14 knots) SWATH - Small Water plane

Area Twin Hull - type construction vessel which can carry

and install two fully assembled wind turbines. By combining

low vessel motions, compensating systems and an accurate

dynamic positioning system, the wind turbine is kept virtually

stationary in relation to the fixed foundation during installation.

WIND TURBINE SHUTTLE ADVANTAGES

At least 80% workability in annual North Sea conditions

Excellent vessel motion characteristics

Active roll and pitch vessel motion compensation

systems

Active heave, pitch and surge compensation hoisting

systems

High transit speed and DP3

Can transport up to two wind turbines in one piece

Commissioning and testing onshore, turbine earlier

online

Also capable of installing jackets, mono piles, piling, and

other offshore structures

3

4

1.2 Purpose of the vessel

The vessel is especially dedicated to installing wind turbines

offshore. Fully assembled wind turbines delivered to the

installation site minimizing the time of construction works

offshore.

The vessel can also carry two large jackets or two large mono

piles or combinations thereof. In case of jacket installation the

wind turbines shuttle can carry the piles needed to secure the

jacket to the seafloor.

The vessel is able to transport simultaneously two complete

wind turbines with a maximum mass of 1000mt each. This

enables the vessel to install all current models of wind

turbines and future models up to an approximate size of 8MW.

As the wind turbines can be fully erected, commissioned and

tested onshore, the offshore commissioning time is minimized.

The wind turbines will be earlier on-line and deliver power

faster to the grid. The vessel can also carry and install two

complete foundations (jacket type and mono piles) with the

maximum weight of 2000mt each.

The main capabilities of the new vessel are:

Installing complete wind turbines

Installing complete foundations (jacket type)

Installing complete foundations (mono piles)

Pile driving

All year operation in The North Sea

High yearly performance with very limited down time.

1.3 High workability

Traditionally, crane vessels and jack-up platforms are utilized

for offshore construction works. Normally parts of the wind

turbines are loaded into the vessel and then transported to the

wind farm site. The wind turbines are assembled from these

parts offshore utilizing a large crane. However the workability

of crane vessels without jack-up system is very low. Even a

moderate sea state makes the lifting operation impossible.

Operating the vessels or platforms equipped with the jack-up

system is time consuming. The lowering and retrieving of the

legs of the jack-up system takes time. These operations are

also sensitive to environmental conditions. Normally the transit

speed of these vessels is quite low.

WIND TURBINE SHUTTLE

The WTS is a SWATH-type vessel which provides excellent

vessel motions and therefore a large workability. Since the

unit is not jacked out of the water, the workability is not limited

by this operation. Also no additional time is consumed by

this operation. The unit has two large underwater pontoons,

rather small columns and a deck box above the water. As

soon as the unit sails out of the harbour, the draft is adjusted

so that the pontoons are submerged beneath the water line,

providing low vessel motions during the transit and during the

installation.

WTS with two wind turbines

WTS with two mono piles

WTS with two jackets

WTS with piles

5

The vessel is able to install wind turbines with a maximum

significant wave height of 3.5m. This gives the unit a

workability of at least 80% of the year in North Sea conditions

in the open areas and up to 95% closer to the shore. By

choosing the heading, the vessel will mainly endure (limited)

heave, pitch and surge motions. Additionally the vessel is

equipped with an active pitch and roll damping system to

further reduce vessel motions.

1.4 Installation scenarios

Minimization of offshore work is achieved by transporting

the wind turbines as entirely tested units. All the testing and

commissioning is done onshore. This requires a low number

of dedicated shore bases (e.g. Denmark, East of England,

and Scotland). The vessel has an optimised hull form and

significant installed power to reach a high transit speed. In 12

hours the vessel can travel approx. 150 miles.

WTS picking up wind turbine from a

shore base

North Sea with wind parks and 150 miles radius from 3 shore bases (East of England,

Esbjerg (DK), Scotland)

Load two wind turbines

Sail to wind farm

Install two wind turbines

Sail back to harbour

Contingency

Total for two wind turbines

Load two foundations

Sail to wind farm

Install two foundations

Sail back to harbour

Contingency

Total for two foundations

Total for two wind turbines & foundations

Number of wind turbines & foundations per year based on;

workability of 80% for installation of wind turbines and a

workability of 90% for installation of foundations, excl. piling

2

4

4

4

6

20

2

4

2

4

4

16

36

409

2

8

4

8

6

28

2

8

2

8

4

24

52

284

2

12

4

12

6

36

2

12

2

12

4

32

68

217

[hrs]

[hrs]

[hrs]

[hrs]

[hrs] +

[hrs]

[hrs]

[hrs]

[hrs]

[hrs]

[hrs] +

[hrs]

[hrs]

[-]

Distance shore base to wind farm 50 100 150 [miles]

1.5 High transit speed and excellent seakeeping

Since the WTS can take only two wind turbines or two

foundations the requirement for covering the distance

between the shore base and the installation site in a

short time is of major importance. At the same time good

seakeeping performance is required for installation. A SWATH

type vessel is chosen due to combination of excellent

seakeeping characteristics and the high transit speed.

Extensive research and model testing resulted in a highly

optimized hull shape.

1.6 Running on LNG fuel

The vessel will be equipped with diesel generator sets

capable of running on both MDO and LNG. If LNG bunker

facilities are provided all operations of the Wind Turbine

Shuttle can be performed using LNG fuel making the whole

installation campaign even more environmentally friendly.

6

WIND TURBINE SHUTTLE

Resistance model tests in towing tank

Seakeeping model tests in waves

CFD calculations

1.7 DP3 system

The high redundancy of the DP3 system is provided by

arranging all four diesel generators in 4 separated engine

rooms.

The vessel is equipped with two large variable pitch propellers

to obtain a transit speed of 14 knots. Together with the large

variable pitch propellers, eight tunnel thrusters are used

for dynamic positioning during installation operations. The

dynamic positioning system keeps the vessel in place during

installation of the wind turbines, even in the most severe

weather conditions. By using dynamic positioning (instead

of mooring or jacking out of the water) the installation is very

fast.

1.8 Vessel motion compensation system

Although the SWATH type vessel provides excellent

seakeeping performance even more effort was put into

further improvement of motions in waves. Active roll and pitch

compensation systems were developed. The system utilizes

a moving mass. For roll compensation a mass driven in the

transverse direction is applied. For pitch two masses are

used, which move in the longitudinal direction. The vessel

motions are reduced by 30-40% when the system is in active

mode. These systems will be mostly used during the wind

turbine installation sequence when the vessel motions have to

be minimized as much as possible.

7

Separated engine rooms

Set-up for testing active pitch compensation system

1.9 Motion compensation in the hoisting system

Huisman has used its 25 years of experience in the

application of active heave compensation systems on cranes

and other lifting devices for the design of the Wind Turbine

Shuttle. The wind turbine is held in place by a hoist frame.

This frame consists of two tables connected by a steel

structure. Each table is equipped with an active controlled,

horizontal movable, XY-clamp. The wind turbine hoist frame

connected to the hoist tackle at the bottom table.

A passive heave compensation system in the combination

with active wire connection between the wind turbine and the

foundation is applied for soft controlled lowering and landing

of the wind turbine on the foundation.

Once the wind turbine is lowered a quick connector is

engaged firmly connecting the wind turbine with the

foundation. From this point the Wind Turbine Shuttle can

sail to the next installation site. The bolt connections can be

safely made while the wind turbine is still secured by the quick

connector. The quick connector will be picked up later.

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WIND TURBINE SHUTTLE

Upper clamp

Lower clamp

1.10 Ballast system

A conventional water ballast system is utilized for changing

the draft from shallow harbour draft to the submerged transit /

installation draft.

During installation, the load of the wind turbine is transferred

from the WTS to the foundation. A constant draft has to

be maintained. Here a dedicated water ballast system is

applied allowing fast water ballast exchange minimizing the

wind turbine installation time. The longitudinal position of

the dedicated water ballast tanks is close to the longitudinal

centre of gravity of the wind turbines. This allows pumping

the amount of water equal to the weight of the wind turbine

without necessity to compensate for trim change since the

trim remains constant.

1.11 Structural design

The installation of the wind turbines and jacket foundations

requires large recesses in the deck box structure. The

requirement for high speed and rudder arrangement make

the struts long and very narrow, thereby attracting significant

wave forces. The structural design of the vessel is carefully

performed covering both the global strength and the fatigue

requirements.

The design wave approach is applied for the global structural

analysis of the vessel. The strength against the yield stress

and buckling is checked. Fatigue is considered from the very

beginning of this project. ANSYS is applied for the structural

finite element analysis (FEA). The wave conditions of The

North Sea set very high requirements for the design with

respect to the fatigue. The major structural connections of the

WTS are carefully checked for fatigue and the geometry of

these connections is optimized

9

Pump room

1.12 Maintenance, repair, & decommissioning

Due to its capacity to transport two wind turbines at the

same time, the vessel is perfectly suited for exchanging wind

turbines. The vessel can install one or two new or refurbished

wind turbines and pick up two old wind turbines. All repair,

maintenance and decommissioning work is performed

onshore. Because the wind turbine shuttle can transport

complete turbines, it is an excellent tool for power upgrades

and overhaul of existing wind turbines.

1.13 Additional Applications of the Vessel

The vessel also provides an excellent platform for offshore

construction works. The Wind Turbine Shuttle can be

deployed for installation and removal of the top sides and

foundations of existing oil platforms. The fact that the vessel

is equipped with the highest level DP3 system means that the

vessel can be also utilized in the oil industry.

1.14 Shallow Draft Catamaran Version

A shallow draft catamaran version of the Wind Turbine Shuttle

can be used in the areas with shallow water depths (see

figure). The installations will be carried out in mild weather

conditions.

10

WIND TURBINE SHUTTLE

Structure of WTS

Decommissioning of top sides

Catamaran Type WTS with shallow draft

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GENERAL

MAIN DIMENSIONS

MARINE SYSTEMS

PAY LOAD*

CAPACITIES

MISCELLANEOUS

GENERALClassification

Length over all

Breadth

Airgap during installation / sailing

Depth to main deck (also freeboard deck)

Design draught

Harbour draught

Scantling draught

Displacement at design draught

Payload (wind turbine)

Payload (wind turbines foundations)

Main engines

Total installed engine power

No. of independent engine rooms

Main propulsion (CPP)

Tunnel thrusters

Dynamic positioning class

Service speed

Payload (two wind turbines)

Payload (two wind turbine foundations or monopiles)**

Payload (40 piles, max length of piles approx. 50m)**

* one of these options at the time

** minimum draft with payload of 4000 mt is approx. 11.5m

MDO

LNG

Fresh water

Water ballast capacity

Complement in 1 and 2 person cabins

Main hoist fwd

Main hoist aft

2 x PMOC

134.4 [m]

72.0 [m]

7.4 [m]

28.8 [m]

16.0 [m]

9.5 [m]

18.0 [m]

Approx. 38000 [mt]

2000 [mt]

4000 [mt]

4 x 5.7 [MW]

22.8 [MW]

4 [-]

2 x 8.0 [MW]

8 x 1.6 [MW]

DP3 [-]

14 [knots]

2000 [mt]

4000 [mt]

4000 [mt]

600 [m3]

600 [m3]

400 [m3]

17506 [m3]

100 [-]

1600 [mt]

1600 [mt]

2 x 300 [mt]

2.1 Vessel

2. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

DNV 1A1 Wind Turbine

Installation unit, DYNPOS-AUTRO

INSTALLATION TOWER / CRANAGE2.2 Top side Equipment

Note: Specifications might be subject to changes as the design progresses

HUISMAN EQUIPMENT BV

Admiraal Trompstraat 2

3115 HH Schiedam

P.O. Box 150

3100 AD Schiedam

The Netherlands

Harbour no. 561

Phone: +31 (0)88 070 22 22

Fax: +31 (0)88 070 22 20

E-mail: info@huisman-nl.com

www.huismanequipment.com

062015