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Blue Tern arrival Fayard

No turbine is too big for Blue Tern

After nearly a year of planning and preparation to detail project scope, budget, and yard selection, we are quickly moving forward with a significant upgrade to jack-up vessel Blue Tern, which has just arrived for dry dock in Fayard.

The focal point for this is an enhancement made to the vessel’s crane, which is being completed in partnership with crane maker Liebherr Maritime Cranes. While in dock, the 10 year class renewal will also be made.

Securing greater reach

In addition to general service and maintenance, the crane’s boom will be extended by adding an additional 12m section. While an 800t capacity will be maintained within a 30m radius , the extension will lengthen the boom to a total of 108m, enabling Blue Tern to meet the demands of larger turbine components in forthcoming projects.

Additional upgrades during the yard stay will be made to help strengthen the vessel’s spud can (seabed interaction points), increasing its ability to operate on more diverse seabed conditions, such as extremely dense soil and bedrock. The spud can upgrade is in preparation for Neart na Gaoithe Offshore Wind Farm project in Scotland, where Blue Tern is scheduled to be deployed in 2022.

The crane’s boom will be extended by adding an additional 12m section resulting in a total boom length of 108m. This enables Blue Tern to meet the demands of larger turbine components in forthcoming projects.

On time and on track

One of the biggest challenges of this project is to manage the many interdependent activities that need to be completed within a short timeframe, which can be highly complex. However, in partnership with Liebherr and other critical component suppliers, and thanks to the expertise from engineers at Fayard, we expect the project to reach completion without issues or delays.

Preparing for the future

This milestone project is part of Fred. Olsen Windcarrier’s forward-thinking approach to identify and adjust to the needs of the offshore wind turbine installation market and our partners. By equipping our vessels with the latest hardware, we will be perfectly positioned to continue providing value and expertise wherever and whenever needed, far into the future.

 

Also Bold Tern is being upgraded at the moment - read much more about that here: Upgrading Bold Tern – because bigger is better (windcarrier.com)