Page 32: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2022)

PORTS & OFFSHORE WIND service after their latest re? ts, in order to keep up with this

Keeping up with demand growth; the Rotra Mare had to be chopped in half in order to “We have to decide what we’re going to do in the next 12 months and plan out to ? ve years, but everything changes add 11m to its length. quite quickly,” says John Shaw, Port of Hull Port Manager,

Blade handling

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. “Everyone is afraid to

One of the biggest challenges at the port for Siemens Game- make investment early, because of (the pace of) change. But, without signi? cant investment we will struggle with storage sa Renewable Energy’s port and logistics team is handling the blades around the site, as it’s rare that blades go straight out space for blades,” says Shaw. of the manufacturing hall and onto vessels. That means they

It’s a common thread across the industry, as it continues to need to be stored. When space runs out at the main site, they outpace itself, as the Ports & Vessels Conference, held in Hull have to be moved to King George’s Dock. This involves a in April, heard. bit.ly/3zlqcNI huge amount of time and effort.

Moving one blade to the site takes about an hour and a half 108m blades on the horizon and requires seven people, ? ve of which, including the trans-

Growth in activity at the Hull site since it opened has been marked, says Muirhead. When it opened, it was producing portation system controller, are on foot – which isn’t much 75m-long blades. It’s now churning out 81m blades, with fun during cold, wet winter nights, says Muirhead. Road in- 108m blades coming and 115m on the cards after that. Like frastructure at the port has had to be adapted to allow for these structures to be moved, which will only get more challenging many in the industry, it’s hard to keep up.

Two vessels – Rotra Mare and Rotra Vente – converted as they get longer. It’s like Tetris – they have to be moved and in 2016 for the transport of blades, recently came back into positioned in order and to the right place, to get the maximum

Photo: Elaine Maslin 32 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • June 2022

MR #6 (18-33).indd 32 6/6/2022 10:17:06 AM