Dual-fuel methanol offshore wind turbine installation vessel design gets ABS’ nod

Classification society ABS has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) to China’s Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore for its design of a methanol dual-fuel, heavy-duty offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV).

“Support vessels like WTIVs are in short supply, and new builds are being hampered by challenging market dynamics. This design from Yantai promises to meet the need for high-capacity, heavy-duty offshore wind projects,” said Rob Langford, ABS Vice President, Global Offshore Wind.

According to ABS, the vessel is capable of transporting and installing the largest wind turbines in the world, those capable of producing 16 MW to 20 MW of electricity, and promises to reduce carbon emissions with its dual-fuel methanol propulsion system.

Fu Qiang, Director of CIMC Raffles Strategy R&D Centre said that the vessel is equipped with a dual-fuel main engine and a hybrid battery system, to reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption.

“Methanol has emerged as a favorite among new designs as it represents a ‘here-now’ technology rather than a ‘hoped-for’. We are proud to support Yantai in their sustainable design for offshore wind projects,” stated Panos Koutsourakis, ABS Vice President of Global Sustainability.

The WTIV design also features a 3,500-ton leg-encircling crane and a sea-keeping dynamic positioning system (DPS) that aligns with ABS class requirements DPS-2.

According to Qiang, the ship is designed for the European market, with a maximum lifting weight of 3,500 tons and a maximum lifting height of 228 meters above sea level. It can carry seven sets of 14 MW or four sets of 20 MW wind turbine components.

“Given the complex international market and rising raw material prices, the design offers better economics and stronger competitiveness,” added Qiang.

Yantai CIMC Raffles Marine Technology Group (CIMC Raffles Group) was established on May 24, 2022. It is jointly funded by CIMC Group and Yantai Guofeng Group, with parties holding 83.3% and 16.7% of the shares, respectively.