Wind turbines

Wind Turbines

Wind turbine installation was undertaken using a crane onboard a jack-up barge. The turbines were transported out to site one at a time, but in several pieces, which meant it was necessary to lift a number of components into place in succession at a single location. Two jack-up barges carried out the wind turbine installation work – “Excalibur” and “MEB-JB1”.

The larger barge, “Excalibur”, transported the component parts for a complete turbine out to site upon its deck, and then jacked-up alongside the appropriate pile before installing the turbine using its onboard cranes. It then jacked-down and returned to port to collect the next turbine to be installed.

The “MEB-JB1” was on permanent duty at the offshore site and was assisted by a “feeder vessel” called the “Annegret”, which delivered the wind turbines one at a time to “MEB-JB1” for installation. To carry out an installation, both “MEB-JB1” and “Annegret” jacked-up at the selected location, and once they were in position, the cranes onboard “MEB-JB1” lifted each of the turbine components into place from the deck of the feeder vessel.

Once the turbine had been installed, both barges jacked-down and the “Annegret” returned to port to collect the next turbine, whilst “MEB-JB1” moved to the next turbine location and prepared for the next turbine installation.

First turbine completed! 

Excalibur transporting turbine components to site 

Excalibur installing the first wind turbine 

5 turbines completed