Renewable Energy

Heave compensator to lift turbine components for Vineyard Wind 1 project

Oct. 17, 2022

DEME Offshore US has awarded Seaqualize its first contract for its new offshore lifting system, Heave Chief 1100.

The Heave Chief 1100 active heave compensator is based on balance heave compensation technology.

Offshore staff

The 600mT prototype, shown during offshore tests in November 2021, is now being upgraded to 750mT SWL. The tool has been renamed HeaveChief 750.

ROTTERDAM, the Netherlands — DEME Offshore US has awarded Seaqualize its first contract for its new offshore lifting system, Heave Chief 1100.

This will be deployed on the Vineyard Wind 1 wind farm installation project in the US, transferring wind turbine components to and from heaving supply vessels.

According to Seaqualize, the HC1100 is a battery-powered balanced heave compensator, designed to compensate a vessel’s heave motions and safely quick-lift loads up to 1,100 metric tons.

The company and DEME Offshore have collaborated to develop a tool enabling a Jones Act-compliant feeder-barge concept. This is based on a prototype tested with Van Oord Offshore Wind in November 2021, and it will be delivered in March 2023.

DEME will use it to transport and install 62 wind turbine generators for Vineyard Wind 1 in components from the supply harbor to the Sea Installer installation vessel.

The HC1100 can balance turbine components for models up to 15 MW. It is also designed to reach higher quick-lift speeds with a longer stroke to handle the larger motions of smaller supply vessels and to minimize dynamic load fluctuations impacting the crane.

In addition, Seaqualize’s "follow-mode" allows the full load to match the movements of the target vessel; quick-lift operations can also be reversed, if needed.

The company is also upgrading the first full-scale balanced heave compensator prototype for working loads up to 750 metric tons.