RoRo offshore wind support ship delivered

The 168m-long Rotra Futura was delivered recently at Zhenjiang Shipyards in China, coinciding with the launch of the Rotra Horizon, which is due for delivery in July. The vessels, with special designs based on the Rotra concept, are the result of cooperation between offshore wind developer Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Amasus Offshore, a high and heavy cargo shipping firm, and specialist freight forwarder, deugro.

The vessels, fitted with a RoRo ramp, have three Liebherr cranes and a unique gantry system enabling the carriage of three tiers of wind turbine blades and more flexibility in the carriage of different and significantly larger wind components. Both ships have an optimised hull form, low-drag coatings, and a Wärtsilä main engine that will consume an expected 15% less fuel compared with similar vessels. They have hybrid propulsion systems, exhaust gas cleaning systems meeting IMO Tier 3 standards, and waste heat recovery systems.

Siemens Gamesa and deugro have been working together in the offshore wind sector for twelve years. Over that time, offshore wind components have become dramatically larger and heavier, leading to the development of the Rotra concept. This special RoRo feature cuts loading risks and generates savings of about 20% on two existing ships that have undergone Rotra modifications, the partners say.

The partners have collaborated on the 2022 retrofits to the Rotra Mare and the Rotra Vente. In their eight years of operation, the two vessels have carried 7.8 million freight tonnes of offshore wind equipment, representing more than 9 GW of offshore wind power.

Christian Johansen, global commodity manager for Ports & Transportation at Siemens Gamesa, said: “Our offshore order backlog amounts to more than 16 GW, reflecting strong global demand. With the development and charter of the two new Rotra vessels, Siemens Gamesa will be well prepared to ensure the safe, timely and cost-effective execution of offshore projects around the world.”