Expertise
Offshore Wind Feeder Vessel
For over 36 years, NETSCo has been a trusted partner in the offshore wind sector. As offshore wind energy rapidly grows along the U.S. East Coast, the industry faces significant logistical hurdles that threaten to slow progress. A key challenge is the heavy reliance on foreign-flagged Wind Turbine Installation Vessels (WTIVs), as no U.S.-flagged WTIVs are currently available.
To address this gap, feeder vessels have become a critical component in transporting turbine components to WTIVs. However, the current fleet—mostly composed of towed deck barges—falls short in efficiency, stability, and capacity. This lack of specialized capabilities has resulted in installation delays, increased risks, and reduced overall reliability, further complicating the already challenging task of meeting growing industry demands.
NETSCo has developed a next-generation feeder vessel design to address these inefficiencies while ensuring compliance with Jones Act regulations. These innovative vessels are engineered to overcome critical limitations in today’s solutions, integrating features such as improved precision, stability, and scalability. Key benefits of NETSCo feeder vessels include:
- Dynamic Positioning (DP): Automatically maintains the vessel’s position without mooring, ensuring precise and efficient turbine transfers.
- Anti-Roll Technology: Advanced stability systems reduce motion, enhancing safety and uptime during operations.
- Specialized Fendering System: Customized fendering creates secure connections between the feeder vessel and WTIVs, minimizing downtime.
- Hybrid Power Solutions: Battery-powered precision maneuvering and optimized fuel use during transit ensure eco-friendly and energy-efficient operations.
By addressing the pain points of turbine transportation, NETSCo’s feeder vessels set a new industry standard for safety, reliability, and environmental sustainability. This innovative approach is a vital step in scaling offshore wind energy projects, ensuring the industry can meet its growth targets without sacrificing efficiency or performance.
Some of the concepts the NETSCo is working on includes:
- Converting OSV into SOV.
- Wind Turbine Towers Transport.
- Newbuild Jones-Act Feeder / Shuttle vessel.
NETSCo services include:
- Vessel Feasibility Study
- Detailed Engineering
- Shipyard Contracts Negotiation
- Project Management
Case Study: Transport Wind Turbine Towers on a Barge
NETSCo was approached by the client with a specific requirement to transport wind turbine towers on a barge, while ensuring maximum load capacity and safety. In response, we carried out a series of structural and stability analyses to verify the feasibility of the project and provide our clients with a robust solution. This case study presents the project in detail, including the challenges faced, solutions proposed, and the final outcome of the project.
Transporting heavy load cargo such as a wind turbine tower on a barge is a challenging task. Ensuring the safety of the cargo and vessel while offering maximum load capacity are essential factors that needed to be addressed. In addition, there were many other issues that we had to consider, including wind forces, vessel accelerations in a seaway, barge stability, and cargo lashing forces.
To address the client’s requirements, we: estimated seaway accelerations; carried out numerous structural calculations on the securing apparatuses; created cargo layouts, and drawings; and calculated lashing forces and sized the chain and fasteners required to secure the cargo. To ascertain the barge’s safety, we carried out structural calculations to determine the limits of the barge’s framing. To maximize the load capacity, we thoroughly analyzed the arrangements, dunnage required, and the structural limits, which helped us understand how and where to place the towers on the barge to make sure that the barge’s stability was adequate for the anticipated shipping route.
Once we had concluded that adequate safety measures had been put in place, we designed a special securing apparatus specifically for this project. Our team created detailed drawings that provided a layout of the cargo and securing requirements, essential to the success of the project.
Our final design allowed us to transport the components for three wind turbine towers per voyage using two barges, while ensuring maximum load capacity and maintaining safety throughout the journey. We were able to achieve this limit through careful consideration of various factors such as strength and safety margin calculations, and other parameters related to stability.
Through careful analysis, design and development, NETSCo was successful in meeting its client’s requirements in transporting wind turbine towers via deck barge on the Great Lakes. Our approach and solutions ensure that the project was completed safely and within budget. NETSCo’s experience and knowledge in providing engineering services relevant to the maritime industry were also instrumental in achieving this successful outcome. We continuously aim to exceed client expectations and solve complex challenges within strict timeframes to deliver exceptional results.
