China is forging ahead with offshore wind farms to alleviate the pollution problems experienced in the heavily populated Pearl River Delta:
Another floating wind farm project is under development and testing offshore Portugal:
Note: “Wind power in open waters can be 3x that of onshore”.
The first Wind farm service boat based on Surface effect (SES) has completed testing in Denmark and is now working off Scotland:
https://www.offshorewind.biz/2018/08/22/sea-puffin-proves-its-mettle-at-horns-rev-1/
A series of such boats are intended built in the years to come.
Substation nears completion, will be interesting to see if the Pioneering Spirit is booked for the job.
Yet another wind farm installation vessel has been launched. More sophisticated and with bigger crane capacity, both in weight and lifting height than anything before:
https://www.owjonline.com/news/view,nextgeneration-offshore-installation-vessel-launched-in-china_55968.htm
The new cable layer ship for Nexans will be equipped with an innovative boat handling and launching system, able to handle several boats of different size and type:
Hull of the second W2W vessel for Acta Marine has arrived in Ulsteinvik for outfitting:
https://www.actamarine.com/nieuws/208/Acta-Centaurus-arrived-at-Ulsteinvik-for-final-Construction-phase
Big money chasing blocks:
Along comes a 10 MW turbine
Then suddenly
OHTs new vessel will be able to work in worse weather than jackup installation vessels.
It will also be able to transport heavier components and compete in the HLV market for transport of rigs, modules etc.:
https://www.owjonline.com/news/view,ability-to-submerge-will-give-installation-ship-an-edge-over-jackups_56915.htm
Another novel idea by OHT and Ulstein Solutions.
PS> Boskalis has converted a HLV to installation vessel, but it is no longer semi-submersible, or able to carry rigs, but still able to carry modules etc.:
A new Installation Jackup design has been revealed by Ulstein Solutions:
Forward looking as always, this design take into consideration the requirement for 15 mW turbines, which isn’t yet developed.
Things are progressing to make Hydrogen by means of wind power:
Thus a viable fuel that is totally carbon free will become available for shipping and road transport.
This is what is needed to make possible the 2050 carbon free shipping envisioned by IMO and Maersk’s plan for a carbon fee inter modular container transport network.