FREDERICIA, Denmark — Maxwell Marine will design and provide an anchoring system for uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) that will be deployed for offshore wind metocean measurement campaigns.
Tuco Marine Group in Denmark will construct 10 of the vessels for Ørsted.
Maxwell has been working with Ørsted on design that supports year-round operation of the USVs in all conditions. A prototype has completed trials in Norwegian and Danish waters, working at times in hurricane force winds.
Maxwell’s anchoring system, which will be fitted to all vessels, must provide fully autonomous operation of the windlass and roller stopper and the capability to retrieve long lengths of chain. These features were tested in high forces in extreme weather conditions, the company said, adding that as the USVs will work at least half a year at sea, with no human intervention, and low maintenance is also essential.
Use of the USVs will allow transport of measurement equipment to and from offshore locations without the need for large, specialized support vessels, reducing fuel emissions.
At the offshore sites, the vessels will operate autonomously for extended periods of time, measuring large amounts of data that will be sent onshore and processed in real time, supporting Ørsted’s early-phase development activities prior to construction of new wind farms.
10.12.2023
