Extensive range of upgrades keeps clients ahead of the pack

The need for wind energy is rapidly increasing. As countries aim to reduce emissions, improve cost-effectiveness per kWh, and make progress towards achieving the energy transition, the installed base is growing substantially worldwide. In the early days of the offshore wind sector, turbines of 2MW were the norm, but now 20MW turbines are already planned, and 30MW versions are on the drawing board. Foundations, turbines, and blades are getting bigger, longer, and heavier.

Rapidly changing offshore wind sector
Requirements in offshore wind are shifting quickly as the industry matures. For example, nowadays, offshore  vessels are not deployed to install a single North Sea drilling rig, but for the installation of 120 monopiles. This repetitive work requires a different approach, different capabilities and different cranes. 

Coen Reissenweber, Manager Sales at Huisman Services, who is globally responsible for execution of the sales process, streamlining workflows and client satisfaction, explains. “We saw around a decade ago that the offshore wind industry really started to mature, and I think the growth in the wind sector was much faster than anyone expected. Our clients require more capacity, lifting height and crane vessels able to handle higher sea states when large monopiles need to be installed on the seabed. It is on a scale not encountered before.”

“To accommodate the growth in the market, vessel owners are keen to extend the weather window so they can continue to operate under challenging conditions, rather than suspend operations in the winter like they did in the past. And in line with this more demanding environment, they are considering crane upgrades which will enable them to handle larger components. Higher lifting capacity is certainly the main reason driving demand for crane vessels serving the offshore wind sector in Huisman’s experience”, Coen comments.

Increasing lifting heights & heavier components
Bas van der Ploeg, Manager Engineering Services, who joined Huisman as a Structural Engineer in 2011, explains what clients are faced with in the expanding offshore wind market.

“In 2016, an installation vessel may have had a crane that can lift up to 100 metres but now the market has caught up and 120 meters is necessary, or it had a loading capability of 1,500mt and now 2,000mt is needed, he says. “Clients are then asking, ‘can we upgrade our existing equipment to meet growing demands, or is it time to invest in the next step forward?’”

Preparing for the future
While some clients proactively consider variation orders during the newbuild phase, others find that even later in an equipment’s lifecycle, there are still opportunities to adapt to changing market requirements.

“One example involves a client who purchased a Huisman crane vessel in 2010, originally designed for heavy-lift operations in the oil and gas sector,” Bas explains. “Back then, the crane would be used only a few times a year at maximum capacity. Now, with the client shifting focus to offshore wind, the same vessel operates in a completely different way — the crane is used at or near its maximum capacity on a daily basis. This shift has led the client to explore how to further optimise the existing equipment for wind turbine installation.”

In another example about how early preparations for mechanical additions are a worthwhile investment, a client could allow for additional routing for power cables, which makes it possible to add an additional winch for better control of the load.

Upgrade path for Leg Encircling Cranes (LEC)
In line with the ongoing trend with offshore wind components becoming larger, longer and heavier, we asses case by case, the potential upgrade route to help clients remain at the forefront of the offshore wind market.

With more than 90 years of experience and engineering expertise built up, we aim to support clients during every phase of their equipment’s lifecycle. Whether it’s for a substantial upgrade to take a crane to the next level, or a smaller modification, Huisman is the ideal partner.

Using our in-house engineering knowledge, production and installation capabilities, we help maximise the value of equipment and ensure that it remains fit-for-purpose in the operating environment of today and in the future.