VIDEO: Jones Act compliant solution for U.S. offshore wind projects

JUNE 18, 2018 — Two Netherlands companies — GustoMSC and Barge Master — are offering a Jones Act compliant solution for installing the first wave of U.S offshore wind projects.

Their motion-compensated feeder solution would place a Barge Master BM-T700 motion-compensated platform on a U.S. flagged offshore vessel or a seagoing barge in order to feed wind turbine components fast and safely to the offshore wind farm site to be installed by a wind turbine installation jack-up.-up.

Barge Master introduced the BM-T700 platform in 2013 and it has proven itself in various projects. By compensating the motions of the vessel, the platform creates a stable lift-off base for a maximum weight of 700 tons in sea states up to Hs 2.5 meters and is Lloyd’s certified under the lifting appliances rules. As a result, the operations can continue in more adverse weather enabling completion within the execution timeframe.

GustoMSC will perform the naval engineering and the integration of the BM-T700 platform onto a new or existing DPII feeder barge.

By offering this steady top feeder barge, GustoMSC and Barge Master offer the capability to overcome current hurdles and make the successful development of the first U,S. offshore wind projects possible within time and budget constraints.