Thrusters package powers offshore jack-up
The fleet of Hochtief has added a new member in the form of offshore jack-up vessel Vidar, which was developed especially for construction and servicing of offshore wind farms as well as offshore oil and gas plants.
The propulsion system consists of four Schottel Combi Drive electric azimuth thrusters and three Schottel Transverse Thrusters, which allow a transit speed of about 11 knots and precise manoeuvring and positioning.
The diesel-electrically driven ship is 140m long and 41m wide, with four Schotel Combi Drives of Type SCD 2020, each with an input power of 2,600 kW. The Schottel Combi Drive combines the advantages of the proven 360° steerable Schottel Rudderpropeller with the economic benefits of an electric drive. The electrical steering system doesn’t need extensive hydraulic engineering and complex piping. Additionally, the SCD saves space as the motor is vertically integrated into the support tube of the thruster with a very compact hydrodynamically optimized underwater housing.
For dynamic positioning the manoeuvrability of the Vidar is optimized by three Schottel Transverse Thrusters of Type STT 3030. They have an input power of 7,500 kW and are integrated into the bulbous bow with a propeller diameter of 3.2m. The installation vessel meets the requirements of the DP Class 2 and reliably mounts wind turbines of all sizes with its 1,200 tonne capacity crane.
When Vidar rises above sea level on its 90m jack-up legs, it offers a secure working platform for the construction of offshore wind farms in up to 50m water depth. The Vidar can accommodate 90 crew members and has a loading capacity of up to 6,000 tonnes. On its large deck surface of 3,400m2 it stores, for example, rotor blades for wind turbines.
Vidar is currently installing rotor stars for the wind farm Global Tech I in the North Sea, where its sister vessels Thor and Innovation are used for the installation of foundations, towers and turbines. Innovation is also equipped with Schottel drives.
