Monopile Installation Equipment – DEME Orion

DEME’s Monopile Installation Vessel Orion is the newest member of its fleet. The Orion is tasked with the record-breaking installation of 29 XXL monopiles for the Arcadis Ost 1 Offshore Wind Farm in the German Baltic Sea. With the largest piles sitting at 110m long, 9.5m in diameter, and 2,000 tonnes, the Orion required an innovative approach to tackle these behemoths.

TWD had the pleasure of contributing to this task. In close cooperation with DEME’s engineering team, TWD developed the basic structural and mechanical design of a motion compensated pile gripper (MCPG). Our motion-control engineers performed extensive dynamic simulations and validated those in scaled tank tests, leading to a detailed specification of Orion’s gripper and its robust installation method on DP. Based on the simulations, scale tests and results, DEME has seen these results and principals as a confirmation of their business case and contracted Huisman for designing and building a MCPG. TWD’s support continued with detailed analyses of the interaction between the vessel’s Dynamic Positioning system, the crane and MCPG, which over the last weeks resulted in the safe and stable installation of Orion’s first monopiles on DP.

TWD also provided the design of a cantilevered ‘Lifting Tool Insertion Aid’, adjustable monopile seafastening cradles, and the auxiliary crane pedestal and dual boom rest system. Our pragmatic approach and novel solutions helped contribute to the successful installation of all 29 XXL monopiles.

Project highlights

• Future proof MP seafastening system for up to 5 MPs
• Robust lifting tool stabbing system to decrease time offshore