Damen plans new class of service vessels for floating wind

Damen Shipyards is preparing for the large-scale roll-out of floating wind technology by developing a new class of larger anchor handling vessels. They will be designed to load, transport and install bigger mooring components including anchors themselves, steel wire, synthetic rope, clump weights and other heavy equipment.

Forecasts on the floating wind sector project that more than 200 GW of new floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) capacity could be in operation by 2050, equating to about 13,500 units. Each floating turbine will require between three and six anchors, the company said, with chain diameters increasing from 152mm for a large offshore structure today, to 220mm or more.

The group is working with suppliers and vessel operators to develop the new class of vessel. With it own research and development facility, design, engineering facilities, shipyard network, and anchor and chain production facility, the company said it has all of the resources to undertake the challenge.

Wijtze van der Leij, Damen’s business development manager Offshore Wind, commented: “There are many variables relating to the new vessel concept still to be assessed and explored, not least the final nature of the FOWT mooring systems. If larger numbers of lighter anchors and chains per turbine are judged superior to fewer but larger, the vessel design will adapt accordingly. But whatever the outcome, rapid growth in the offshore wind turbine sector is just around the corner and at Damen we are working hard now on the solutions that will support that growth in ways that are both economical and sustainable.”