Houston-based Bleutec Industries has introduced what it describes as transformative offshore wind transportation and installation vessel solution that also integrates capabilities to perform commissioning, operations and maintenance, and decommissioning activities.
Developed by Bleutec in collaboration with NETSCo Naval Architecture in the US and Penthus in the Netherlands, the so-called proprietary binary marine installation solution (BMIS) is a Jones Act-compliant concept that is meant to address the shortage of capable wind turbine installation vessels (WTIV) and high-cost newbuilds.
The BMIS is comprised of two dual-fuel construction vessels – a piling installation vessel (PIV) and a WTIV-Light – coupled with accommodation and marine support from a service operation vessel (SOV) for commissioning and long-term operation and maintenance.
Bleutec said the PIV should enter the market in the third quarter of 2024, while the WTIV-Light in the same quarter of 2025. The company, launched in 2019, is engaged with several key stakeholders that have a proven track record in the offshore wind industry, including class societies Lloyd’s Register and ABS, technology and equipment developers Kongsberg Maritime, Liebherr, Wärtsilä and the US Coast Guard.
“Our goal is to provide the most cost-effective offshore wind transportation and installation solution that integrates commissioning, operations and maintenance activities and maximises local content,” said Robin Bodtmann, chief executive of Bleutec Industries.
The company has also bolstered its team, adding a former global category manager marine at Shell, Bo Jardine, who joins a chief innovation officer to lead the development of the BMIS and work with classification societies and the US Coast Guard.
