4C Offshore Empowering Intelligence

Lankhorst Euronete ropes in WindFloat

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 20/11/2018 Lankhorst Euronete Portugal
WindPlusLankhorst Euronete Portugal has been commissioned to supply mooring tethers to Windplus SA for its WindFloat Atlantic project The wind turbine generator (WTG) platforms will be moored at a water depth of 85 – 100m using Gama98 Dyneema DM20 fibre ropes.

The
WindFloat Atlantic Project comprises three WindFloat 8MW wind turbine platforms that will be installed 20km off the coast from Viana do Castelo. The semi-submersible floating foundations consist of three columns in a triangular with one of the columns supporting the turbines.

Each platform’s mooring system is made up of three catenary mooring lines of Gama98 rope construction made from Dyneema DM20 attached to chain and drag embedded anchors. The soft catenary mooring system will restrain the platform’s horizontal motions.

“The WindFloat Atlantic Project is a significant mooring project. It marks the first ever use of Gama98 Dyneema DM20 as mooring tethers in any offshore mooring application,” says Alberto Leao, Sales Renewable Energy, Lankhorst Euronete Portugal. “The mooring characteristics of Gama98 Dyneema DM20 makes it an ideal for offshore mooring projects and places Lankhorst at the forefront as the Fibre World Technological Leader on Mooring.”
 
The use of High Modulus Poly-Ethylene (HMPE) rope is expected to result in lower costs compared to spiral strand steel wire both during installation and future disconnection. The mooring lines will be pre-laid on the seabed, prior to the arrival of the wind turbine platform, and connected using platform mooring connectors which are to be supplied by First Subsea.
 
The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has certified the WindFloat Atlantic floating foundations and approved the Gama98 mooring rope design.


The WindFloat Atlantic project is backed by the Windplus consortium, led by EDP Renewables. The technology was implemented in a first of its kind prototype called WindFloat 1 near Póvoa do Varzim which was installed back in 2011. The project was a full lifecycle demonstration of Principle Powers foundation design, featuring a Vestas V-80 2MW turbine, and was decommissioned last year.

For more information on floating wind projects,
click here.

Premium

ForeSEE Premium, our most popular subscription, gives you full access to use the ForeSEE WebApp which includes exclusive offshore wind, transmission and vessel reports, news and downloads.

Request a 30 minute Demo

Trending News!