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    1. Renewable Energy

    Jan De Nul orders automated monopile installation system for crane vessel

    Oct. 7, 2021
    Jan De Nul Group has contracted Remazel S.p.A. to deliver a set of cradles, a skidding system, and an upending hinge for its new crane vessel Les Alizés to handle and install XXI monopiles.
    (Courtesy Jan De Nul)
    Illustration of the crane vessel Les Alizés.
    Illustration of the crane vessel Les Alizés.

    Offshore staff

    LUXEMBOURG – Jan De Nul Group has contracted Remazel S.p.A. to deliver a set of cradles, a skidding system, and an upending hinge for its new crane vessel Les Alizés to handle and install XXI monopiles.

    The design of this fully automated monopile installation system is said to be ideally suited to work in challenging weather conditions and harsh sea states.

    The Les Alizés will use the cradles on her deck to store monopiles. The monopile cradles can automatically adjust their supporting diameter. If required, the cradles can also support the tapered section of the monopile.

    The skidding system is needed to optimize the use of the deck and will enable the Les Alizés to transport the monopiles in between the cradles and the upending hinge.

    According to Jan De Nul, the upending hinge can accommodate monopiles weighing more than 3,000 metric tons (3,307 tons). The tub-mounted crane brings the monopile in a vertical position using the upending hinge. Once upended, the monopile is placed into the monopile gripper by the tub-mounted crane.

    The vessel is under construction at the China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd. shipyard. It is expected to be delivered next year.

    10/07/2021