Feature 1 | ENVIRONMENT


majority of the equipment together onshore, as well as minimising the amount of liſts required to install each turbine, and practically eliminating the need for small boat transfers.” As well as providing obvious safety benefits, by minimising operators’ exposure to risk in harsh maritime environments, in enabling completed jackets, piles and wind turbine generators to be carried onboard, West estimates that


turbine


installations performed by the OWTIS could prove to be at least 30% more cost effective than installations carried out via the current means. Te completed vessel will be fitted with a


1500tonne SWL crane, situated amidships for additional stability, and boast a deck capacity of 8000tonnes, enabling it to carry a range of pre-assembled equipment for rapid installation. The OWTIS has been designed to avoid contact with the seabed and to operate safely across a variety of water depths and atmospheric conditions, with a shortened boom and an active roll damping system designed to reduce the effects of wave amplification by as much as possible. With regards to sea states, the vessel will be able to handle turbine transportation at significant wave


heights (Hs) of 4.5m; pile installation at 3.5m Hs; jacket installation at 3m Hs; and turbine installation at 2.5m Hs. W3G Marine and IHC Merwede are


now finalising the forthcoming ship’s propulsive set-up. Although W3G Marine was unable to confirm any brand


“The OWTIS has been designed to avoid contact with the seabed and to operate safely across a variety of water depths and atmospheric conditions”


selections at time of going to press, the OWTIS will be equipped with dynamic positioning (DP) Class 2 capabilities, most likely involving the incorporation of three azimuth thrusters at the stern


Fuel for thought


Demand is growing for reliable, real-time fuel monitoring solutions, as operators strive to balance lower fuel costs with optimal performance, while maintaining compliance with environmental regulations.


F 16


uel expenditure remains a constant thorn in the industry’s side, typically accounting for at least 60% of vessel


operating expenses – a figure that has been recorded as 80% in some quarters. With the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Tier III regulation on emissions due to affect emission control areas (ECAs) as of January 2016, the pressure to balance cost-cutting,


fuel-conserving measures


with environmental compliance has never been stronger. Additionally, for many in the offshore


sector, a question mark still hangs over the reliability of alternative fuel sources, such as


biofuels, particularly concerning whether these highly priced products will be able to deliver the same optimal service associated with diesel fuels. One problem, however, is the question


of how to obtain the time to juggle these considerations effectively. As Don Gregory, director of fuel monitoring solution provider Azurtane, tells Offshore Marine Technology: “Tere are plenty of systems out there that provide fuel data, but the shipping and offshore industries are unable to cope with high volumes of data – operators simply don’t have the time to wade through it. Te paradigm is that the shipowner is getting


information on a daily or weekly basis, sent by the chief engineer, but some of this data isn’t quite up to the mark, and some companies are not making the best use of the technology available today.”


Three-pronged solution Azurtane was formed in 2009 by Gregory, a former marine engineer and sea captain who has spent 20 years with BP Marine and also currently serves as director of the Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association. Created alongside former colleagues from BP Marine, mainly skilled in infrared and gas-sensing technology, the group has


Offshore Marine Technology 4th Quarter 2011


and two retractable azimuths plus two tunnel thrusters forward, and she is planned to generate 26MW. Full technical specifications and firm price details will be agreed and released on 30 November this year, when building will commence in earnest, in anticipation of a delivery date of 31 December 2013.


Extendable remit Te vessel will provide accommodation for up to 110 members of crew, with options to expand the accommodation area. As well as handling wind turbine installation, the design of the OWTIS, with her superstructure forward, could also enable her to undertake more traditional industry applications, such as subsea construction and pipe-laying, thus maximising her opportunities for multiple charters. “Installing wind turbine foundations


will probably account for up to 80% of the OWTIS’ occupation,” says West. “At the moment, the benchmark for wind turbine installation costs when using jack-up rigs or existing floating systems comes to about 18-23% of the total cost of offshore turbine installation. We believe the OWTIS can bring this amount down by 30%.” OMT


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