Maersk Supply Service has formed a partnership with Edison Chouest Offshore for the construction and operation of a wind farm feeder concept. According to Maersk Supply Service, the concept has been specifically designed for its next-generation wind installation vessel.

Maersk Supply Service is using advanced technology to facilitate the safe transportation of turbine components at sea, to speed up the deployment of offshore wind projects. The company is already involved in the US offshore wind market and has collaborated with ECO to build a dedicated wind farm feeder spread, making it a logical progression.

“Maersk Supply Service’s new installation concept can make offshore wind farm installations significantly faster with estimated efficiency gains of 30 per cent. The partnership with ECO makes this new technology available for the U.S. offshore wind market enabling faster offshore wind installations in the U.S.,” says Christian M. Ingerslev, CEO at Maersk Supply Service.

The purpose-built feeder spread, consisting of two tugs and two barges, is set to be delivered in 2026. Owned and operated by ECO, the feeder spread will be constructed by Bollinger Shipyards, the largest privately owned shipyard group in the United States.

This feeder concept will play a crucial role in the installation process, as it will transport wind turbine components or foundations to the installation site. By doing so, the wind installation vessel (WIV) will remain on location to complete successive installations, allowing for faster installation and enabling the wind park to be on-grid faster.

“This partnership facilitates the expansion of our existing footprint in the U.S. offshore wind industry, and our decades of offshore experience, efficiency and focus on technology can play an important role in the further development of the U.S. offshore wind segment,” says Dino Chouest, Executive Vice President of ECO.

Maersk Supply Service has developed a specialized solution to facilitate greater logistical access to a larger number of U.S. ports. The feeder concept involves using tugs and barges that are built, owned and flagged in the U.S. to transport turbine components. With a new innovative locking and stabilizing mechanism between the WIV and barge, this solution will reduce the dependence on weather conditions and require fewer operating days to install a wind park.