Mobile drydock assists in floating wind project

Salamander Offshore Wind is a joint venture development project between Simply Blue Group, Ørsted and Subsea7, and will be installed offshore from Peterhead in North-East Scotland.

It is not a huge project in terms of electricity generation – it says it aims to install 100MW capacity as a contribution to the Scottish government’s target of 11GW of offshore wind power by 2030, and the UK’s target of 5GW of floating offshore wind.

Tugdock’s patented marine buoyancy technology enables heavy marine structures to be built or assembled and loaded out in ports with water depth or space restrictions.

The technology comprises the Tugdock Submersible Platform (TSP) and Tugdock Buoyancy Modules (TBMs), which are modular, road transportable, easy to erect, and reusable, with deck sizes ranging from 12m x 12m to 120m x 120m. It also has a lift capacity of up to 35,000 tonnes at a fraction of the cost, it says, of standard dry docks.

Air lift bags are filled and then vented using compressed air, and by confining the bags into a space frame configuration and deck arrangement, they can be used as additional buoyancy modules or submersible platforms.

TBMs provide additional buoyancy, reduced draft and added stability for Wind Turbine Generator integration, Tugdock says. The buoyancy modules can be considered as temporary works equipment that is fixed to the floaters in modules and used during berthing, integration, marshalling, and removed prior to tow-out. The product can be re-installed for wet storage or for in-port operations and maintenance activities.

Tugdock is discussing next steps with Salamander.

“The objectives of this exciting collaboration are for Salamander Offshore Wind and Tugdock to jointly develop innovative knowledge and technologies to accelerate the development of floating wind energy, which is currently a fast-evolving industry around the world,” said Shane Carr, CEO of Tugdock.

In recent months, Tugdock has also announced partnerships with Sarens, the global leader in crane rental and heavy lifting, and Crowley, a US-based supply chain solutions company serving the offshore wind sector, exploring floating offshore wind in locations, such as the US West Coast.