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lation location will also in? uence the number and types of installation vessels needed. Preliminary indications from the developers indicate that both monopile and jacketed installations will be used and multiple options for installa-tion vessel designs are being considered. When will the farms start putting our work boats to work? In a nearly covert fashion, workboats are slowly be- ing employed in anticipation of the wind farms. Buoy tenders have been deploying weather buoys and wind ane- mometers, hydrographic survey vessels have been mapping the sea ? oor, and geophysical research vessels have been analyzing the substrate. Wildlife researchers have also been out studying the impacts each farm location may have on the avifauna. The ? eet will really get called to action once the ? rst piece of steel is ready to hit the sand. On average, it will take 4 days to install each monopile plus an ad-ditional 4 days to set each tower and turbine into place. Once the turbines are in place, it takes nearly 1 full day per km to run connecting array cables. The number of support vessels for installation will de- pend on the type of installation vessel employed. Towed Jack up barges will certainly need tug assistance as well as support from 3 to 4 crew and supply vessels. If a self- propelled installation vessel is employed, there is still a pos- sible need for tugs and barges depending on hauling capac- ity. 3 to 4 crew and supply vessels will still be required. Once commissioned, approximately one support vessel will be required for every 20 to 30 turbines. By 2023, Ger- manischer Lloyd has estimated that 300 to 500 wind farm support vessels will be needed for Europe alone. BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION European insights are also giving rise to a new era of wind farm vessel technology. The installation vessel de- signs are getting larger and more sophisticated in an effort to reduce on site assembly time and cost. The trend is for a single vessel to transport fully assembled towers or carry sub-assemblies inclusive of tower, nacelle, hub, and blades BOATBUILDING IncatCrowthers latest innovation for offshore wind farm support catamarans features a pass-through cargo deck and resiliently mounted passenger cabin. SAVE MONEY - CALL US FIRST Choose from one of the largest inventories of marine equipment in the U.S. LINKS? CHAIN? ANCHOR? 3/4 to 4-1/2? Domestic and imported, in stockfor immediate deliveryCLEATS ? ALUMINUM ? STEELweld-on andbolt-on typesfor every applicationPELICAN HOOKS? CHAIN TYPE? WIRE ROPE TYPE Manysizes instock forimmediatedeliveryNo order is too large or too small; ask for our FREE CATALOG and put our gear to work on your vessel1-800-851-3429WASHINGTON CHAINAND SUPPLY, INC. P.O. Box 3645 ? 2901 Utah Avenue South Seattle, Washington 98124 Phone (206) 623-8500 ? Fax (206) 621-9834September 201336 MNMN Sept2013 Layout 32-49.indd 368/29/2013 5:26:37 PM
