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still expected to be delivered in 2022, ahead its 2023 debut at the Dogger Bank. The vessel will install the wind turbines on monopile foundations, to be built by a joint venture between the Sif Group and Smulders.

Sif will be responsible for the fabrication and supply of 190 monopiles and primary steel for the transition pieces, as well as for the marshalling of all foundation components. Smul- ders will be responsible for the supply, fabrication and ft-out of the secondary steel for the transition pieces.

ALFA LIFT

Enter Offshore Heavy Transport. The Norwegian compa- ny specializes in, as its name suggests, offshore heavy trans- port. However, apart from just transport, the company will soon dive into the offshore installation work too, and will be responsible for the installation of the foundations on the

Dogger Bank. (See complete story on OHT and Alfa Lift in our interview with Torgeir Ramstad, CEO, OHT, starting on page 36)

SOVS

Being far from shore means the wind farm will, once built, need to be serviced from large Service Operation Vessels, rath- er than by crew transfer vessels which are used to transport small crew of technicians to wind farms closer to shore.

SOVs, dubbed foating warehouses/hotels with walk-to- work turbine access are able to stay at the wind farm site for weeks, reducing transport and transfer time, and only come ashore to replenish supplies and equipment. Also, given that there’s no need to transport technicians from shore every day, and that they can basically “walk-to-work” via a gangway, this means that they have more time out on the turbines. Also,

Service Operation Vessels

Source: North Star Renewables

March/April 2021 OFFSHORE ENGINEER 33