Feature 5 | SCANDINAVIA Viking launches new offshore wind farm suit
Te safety equipment specialist opines that helicopter drops are a more viable alternative for offshore wind farm turbine technicians than larger crew transfer craſt
of transportation for deep-sea wind farm turbine technicians, has tended to suggest two alternatives; the use of larger vessels to escort these workers from shore to wind farm array, or the deployment of onsite motherships and floating accommodation structures, in a similar fashion to those utilised by the offshore oil and gas sector. However, Danish life saving appliance
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(LSA) manufacturer Viking believes that a third transportation alternative, albeit one overlooked in a number of debates on the subject, is the use of helicopters to fly personnel directly to wind farms in deep waters. Viking vice president Benny Carlsen
tells Ship & Boat International: “We think helicopter transfers will be the way forward – it makes no sense for vessels to be positioned at the turbines all day, wasting energy, especially in bad weather conditions.” To this end, Viking has been promoting its line of European Technical Standard Order (ETSO)-approved immersion suits and lifejackets to crews travelling by helicopter, these brands being equipped with a harness as standard.
he conventional wisdom shared so far within the offshore wind energy sector, concerning future modes
Easy access pockets One of the most recent examples of these is the PS4115 wind farm work suit, designed to function as a ‘second skin’ for turbine technicians. Accessibility of working tools, coupled with hands-free operation, are linchpins of this new suit; the PS4115 sees the standard equipment pockets relocated to the suit’s arm, leg and ankle areas, so as not to interfere with a standard helicopter harness, which could easily obstruct access to pockets situated in the suit’s breast area. Te suit has also been designed to minimise
friction for personnel when climbing the wind turbines and to offer fully watertight protection against the elements, and has already attained ISO and SOLAS approval. Early May also sees the launch of Viking’s
Viking’s PS4115 suit locates equipment pockets on the arms and legs
Offshore Service Agreements, intended as an expansion of the group’s existing five-year Shipowner Agreements, which offer maritime users, for a fixed upfront fee, maintenance and technical assistance and servicing and replacement of Viking’s safety equipment. In 2012, Viking reportedly recorded its ninth year of uninterrupted growth, amassing a 10% increase in turnover on the previous year. SBI
Far Statesman makes debut
VARD Langsten has delivered the latest in a series of UT 731 CD class offshore service vessels to Farstad Shipping
UT 731 CD offshore service vessel. Christened Far Statesman, the 87.4m x 21m vessel was constructed at the VARD Langsten yard and successfully delivered earlier this year. Far Statesman features a maximum
F 74
draught of 7.8m and a deadweight of 3,954tonnes, and boasts a deck space of 42.4m x 17.8m, strengthened to a rating of
arstad Shipping has taken on the latest addition to its fleet, in the form of the Rolls-Royce-designed
12tonnes/m². Onboard capacities include 998m³ of fuel oil, 898m³ of potable water and 270m³ of dry bulk, while total chain locker space amounts to 664m³. Te vessel’s power is evidenced by an
impressive bollard pull rating of 265metric tonnes, courtesy of six main engines; two delivering 4,500kW apiece, and four rated 2,230kW each. A 1,500kW bow thruster, twin 1,200kW stern thrusters and a 1,800.5kW azimuth thruster have been added to the propulsive arrangement.
Fuel consumption has been calculated at a rate of 22.8m³ per day when the vessel is travelling at its usual service speed of 12knots, or 13.3m³ daily when sailing at 10knots economy speed. Rolls-Royce also supplied the vast
majority of the vessel’s deck equipment, including four tow pins of 250tonnes maximum working load (MWL) each, and three shark jaws, of 800tonnes MWL apiece. Te vessel can accommodate up to 40 persons. SBI
Ship & Boat International May/June 2013
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