DEME Offshore and Liftra ApS have announced a partnership to create a new offshore installation method for the next generation of offshore wind turbine generators. Liftra will provide design and engineering using its patented LT1500 Turbine Installation Crane technology, while DEME will offer its engineering, operations, and installation expertise.
The Offshore Turbine Installation Crane is capable of erecting larger and heavier turbines with existing vessels at a lower cost, reducing the environmental footprint. It is suitable for both bottom-fixed and floating turbines, making it ideal for use in deep water.
According to Bart de Poorter, General Manager of DEME Offshore Renewables, the partnership combines DEME’s track record of successful wind turbine installation with Liftra’s crane technology. He said the major advantage of this joint technology is the ability to install fixed or floating turbines from a floating vessel, eliminating limitations in water depth. The new method also addresses lifting height issues and controls relative motions at high heights, reducing the environmental impact on the seabed at the wind farm’s location and in port.
Per Fenger, CEO of Liftra, said the offshore partnership highlights the state-of-the-art technology in the company’s lifting and transport technology. He added that Liftra’s innovative LT1500 installation crane technology is based on a decade of Self-Hoisting crane product experience and is known for its efficient and sustainable setup.
The system’s flexibility allows it to be exclusively integrated for use on board DEME’s floating offshore heavy-lift vessels such as ‘Orion’ or ‘Green Jade,’ as well as its existing jack-up vessels.
The partners will develop and integrate the technology in stages and, following an extensive testing programme, the pioneering new system is expected to be operational in 2027. The exclusive partnership between the two companies is expected to be a game-changer in the offshore wind turbine installation industry.
