Jan De Nul Group has selected Remazel S.p.A. for the delivery of a set of cradles, a skidding system and an upending hinge for its new heavy lift floating installation vessel Les Alizés to handle and install XXI monopiles. The design of this fully automated monopile installation system is tailor-made for Les Alizés and suited to work in challenging weather conditions and harsh offshore conditions.

Les Alizés will use the monopile cradles on her deck to store monopiles. The monopile cradles can automatically adjust their supporting diameter. If required, the cradles can also support the tapered section of the monopile. The skidding system is needed to optimise the use of the deck and will enable Les Alizés to transport the monopiles in between the monopile cradles and the upending hinge.

The upending hinge can accommodate monopiles weighing over 3,000 metric tons. The tub-mounted crane brings the monopile in a vertical position using the upending hinge. Once upended, the monopile is placed into the monopile gripper by the tub-mounted crane.

Jan Van De Velde, Head of Newbuilding Department at Jan De Nul Group: “The construction of our offshore installation vessel Les Alizés is well on track. Recently, we have ordered an innovative motion-compensated pile gripper. Today, we add this automated monopile installation system, fully aligned with our continued philosophy to focus on operational efficiency and improved safety.”

Les Alizés is specifically designed for loading, transporting, lifting and installing offshore wind turbine foundations. The main features are a main crane of 5000 tonnes to be built by Huisman, a deck loading capacity of 61,000 tonnes and a deck space of 9300 m2. The vessel being built by the Chinese CMHI Haimen yard is scheduled for delivery in 2022.