Letter of Intent for Multi-purpose Wind Farm Vessel
Gaoh Offshore signed a Letter of Intent covering the design development and construction of its multi-purpose wind farm development vessel, the Deepwater Installer. Gaoh Offshore and STX Offshore & Shipbuilding Co signed the letter at the end of 2010 and board approval was given last month. The LOI is for construction at the STX Dalian Shipbuilding Complex in China after a period of joint further development giving both companies a commercial interest in the design.
The work will focus on fulfilling the requirements of Round three UK wind farm operators and Gaoh and STX will combine their expertise to provide innovations that particularly benefit installation in deeper water, further offshore. To that end, Gaoh will use the North Sea engineering expertise of one of its key shareholders, Houlder Limited. The vessel is a 140m DP2 jack up capable of operating in the central North Sea area on a year round basis and surviving the 100 year storm criteria on site. It can handle up to 16 3.6MW turbines each trip while minimising both port loading and offshore installation time. The design also incorporates a 1600 t crane and under deck storage to further reduces per turbine installation, commissioning and maintenance costs. This true multi-functionality adds to the design’s flexibility and ability to deliver optimal cost efficiencies to safe, efficient and risk optimized installation and field support activities.
Officials of both companies including Mr K. J. Hong, Vice Chairman & CEO of STX O&S and Mr Peter Hickson, CEO of Gaoh, attended a signing ceremony in Korea “The key to the vessel’s success will be the combined experience of STX and the Gaoh shareholders”, said Hickson. “This has allowed the integration of turbine installation experience with a number of innovative design concepts which among other things eventually culminate in the ability to station keep and jack-up in higher sea states. This enhances the vessels operational window whilst at the same time minimising its in port time. The ability to offer a lot more than just installation but also to be involved in commissioning and maintenance adds to the vessels flexibility and competiveness against other designs.”