ABS to class Dominion Energy Jones Act WTIV

Written by Nick Blenkey
Jones Act WTIV

Dominion Energy WTIV is designed to handle current turbine technologies as well as next generation turbine sizes of 12 megawatt or larger

The first ever Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV), currently under construction at the Keppel AmFELS shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, will be built to ABS Class.

As we reported earlier, Keppel AMFELS is building the 472-foot vessel under an engineering, procurement and construction from Richmond, Va., headquartered Dominion Energy.

U.K.-based Seajacks, a leader in the operation of self-propelled jack-up vessels, is providing Dominion Energy with construction and operations oversight.

To be named Charybdis, the vessel is designed by GustoMSC to handle turbine sizes of 12 megawatt or larger and will also be capable of the installation of foundations for turbines and other heavy lifts. Schiedman, Netherlands, headquartered Huisman is supplying a 2,200 metric ton lift capacity leg-encircling crane for the vessel.

It will have accommodations for up to 119 crew and wind farm technicians.

“ABS is the ideal partner for a highly specialized wind turbine installation vessel such as this for the U.S. market,” said Matt Tremblay, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore. “Our extensive knowledge of U.S. regulations combined with offshore industry leadership means we are uniquely equipped to support this project and a range of other innovative vessels now being commissioned for U.S. wind farms. ABS is committed to playing a significant role in the safe development of the U.S. offshore wind industry.”

“Dominion Energy is proud to be leading a consortium of respected industry participants in the construction of the first Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel, which will provide significant American jobs, and provide a reliable, home-grown installation solution with the capacity to handle the next generation of large-scale, highly-efficient turbine technologies,” said Mark Mitchell, Senior Vice President of Project Construction. “This will better enable the offshore wind industry to bring clean, renewable energy to customers in the U.S.”

Seajacks CEO Blair Ainslie said: “This next-generation turbine installation jack-up vessel is vital to the safe and cost-effective deployment of offshore wind energy in the U.S. Seajacks operates a fleet of offshore installation jack-ups in Europe and Asia and is looking forward to developing the offshore wind supply chain in the U.S. with our partners.”

Charybdis is just the latest vessel for the U.S. offshore wind industry to be supported by ABS. The first U.S flagged Jones Act offshore wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) to be ordered will be built to ABS Class. ABS has also issued AIPs for two Jones Act SOVs to Vard Marine Inc. and for a series of other wind support vessels from European designers.

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