The Japanese engineering company, Shimizu Corporation, has designed a self-elevating jack-up vessel designed to handle wind turbines with an individual capacity of 8MW or more. It will soon be ready for deployment in the Asia Pacific region.

The vessel is 142 metres long, and 50 metres wide, with 4,600 square metres of available deck space. It has a gross tonnage of 28,000 tonnes and a maximum crane lifting capacity of 2,500 tonnes at 30 metres, and a maximum lifting height of 153m. It can operate in depths of between 10m and 50m, and will be capable of loading, transporting, and installing seven 8MW wind turbines at a time. It also has a propulsion of 11 knot DPS-B.

Fred. Olsen Windcarrier partnership

Last year, the Oslo-based engineering company, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, entered into a partnership with Shimizu, with the goal of developing the offshore wind industry in Japan. The two companies have an exclusivity agreement under which Fred. Olsen Windcarrier will be the leading partner for installation projects involving Shimizu’s vessel outside Japan, and Shimizu will be the main partner for installation projects in Japan.

Additionally, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier and related company Global Wind Service will be the preferred suppliers for Shimizu while Fred. Olsen Windcarrier will supplement Shimizu vessel capacity in Japan if needed. For markets outside Japan, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier will represent and market the Shimizu vessel.

Alexandra Koefoed, Chief Executive Officer of Fred. Olsen Windcarrier, commented: “We are very pleased to be working with such a renowned organisation as Shimizu, and excited to be playing such an important role in Japan’s renewable energy sector. There is great potential not only in the partnership of our two businesses, but also in what we can offer to the offshore wind industry.”

Toru Yamaji, Vice President of Shimizu, said: “We could not have chosen a better partner to further our capabilities in the Japanese offshore wind market, and abroad. Together, Fred. Olsen Ocean and Shimizu will offer a breadth of specialist knowledge, assets and services for wind farm developers worldwide.”