Powering an installation schedule by going the distance

Samsung Heavy Industries has entered the European offshore wind market in a big way. Their prototype seven-megawatt wind turbine in the Energy Park Fife, Scotland, is the largest in the world – capable of powering 4,800 homes. But transporting and installing the SHI turbine demanded creative engineering.

The approved location was located in shallow water just 47 meters off the coast of Scotland, and this prevented a traditional approach using heavy lift vessels. Mammoet offered a comprehensive approach that proved to be the fastest and safest.

The answer to the shallow water challenge at Energy Park Fife was to install from the land, and that required a smart lifting solution. The 18 meters long nacelle had to be installed at a height of 116 meters, and at a point more than 50 meters from where the crane was positioned. The customer favored Mammoet’s approach of using a single crane for installation – other contractors had proposed the use of two. The Mammoet plan was faster because it required less preparation time. It was also considered safer given the distance to the foundation because it eliminated the need for the complex coordination of two cranes.

"Smart lifting solution installs offshore wind turbines swifter and safer from land." Samsung Heavy Industries Fife, Scotland.

But first, all components needed to be moved to the destination site. Mammoet arranged the transport of the 83.5-meter-long blades from the Danish factory in Kirkeby. To ensure the safe transport of the blades, Mammoet designed special transport frames for the truck and dollies. Meanwhile, the tower and nacelle had arrived in the Port of Rotterdam, coming from their fabrication yards in China and South Korea. From there, Mammoet shipped them onto low-draft coasters, right on schedule.

Once all components arrived on-site, Mammoet installed the piles, jacket, and transition piece. Then, the tower was erected and installed on the steel jacket foundation by one of Mammoet’s bigger crawler cranes assisted by a 600-ton tailing crane.

The installation of the nacelle and three rotor blades completed the construction work. Today the seven-megawatt SHI turbine is performing its test program, standing tall at 196 meters.