Siemens Gamesa Renewables Energy hired Jumbo-SAL-Alliance to move 5 8MW SG 8.0-167 DD turbines and 225 blades from Cuxhaven in Germany, Esbjerg and Aalborg in Denmark to Taichung, Taiwan.

The alliance’s Type 176, Type 171, Type 116 and Type 161B vessels were the ships of choice for this series of shipments to the Formosa, Yunlin and Greater Changhua project sites. To accommodate the cargo, Jumbo-SAL-Alliance’s engineers developed a stacking frame system creating capacity for 15 blades in four stacks on deck, a solution that meets the clients’ needs.

Handling the blades, measuring 82.07 × 7.3 × 6.08 metres and weighing 44.3 ton each, was a complex task as it entailed operations at heights of up to 24 metres above deck. The cargo was loaded and discharged using the vessels’ own gear and cranes. Due to this fact, all crew members took part in special working at heights training to ensure safety and efficiency.

The first blades and nacelles have already arrived in their project ports in Taiwan and are waiting to be commissioned offshore. The shipments will likely last until mid-2022.