DNV has awarded Friede & Goldman (F&G) an Approval in Principle (AiP) for an innovative wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) design.

The review and DNV awarded AiP confirms that F&G's Windsetter 156 Class Wind Turbine Installation Vessel with Optional BargeRack Feeder Barge System design complies with applicable DNV classification rules and statutory requirements.

wind turbine installation vessel rendering
DNV issues an Approval in Principle to Friede and Goldman’s Windsetter 156 Class Wind Turbine Installation Vessel with Optional BargeRack Feeder Barge System design, pictured here with and without the optional system. Image courtesy of Friede and Goldman.

Friede & Goldman's innovative WTIV

Among the world's foremost design firms specializing in offshore units, F&G draws on 70-plus years of innovation and expertise to bring vast knowledge and proven cross-sector technology to its solutions, as demonstrated with the Windsetter 156 class WTIV for the expanding global offshore wind market. The innovative WTIV design is suitable for all offshore wind markets globally and was developed in conjunction with wind equipment vendors and feeder logistic companies to support a future-proof design. With the capability of installing turbines with more than 20 megawatts (MW) of capacity, the Windsetter 156 Class design is not only suitable to handle the world's largest and most powerful offshore turbines installed to date but far exceeds the MW capacity of all announced offshore wind projects through at least 2025. The F&G WTIV design is unique to the market, as the vessel is equipped with F&G's optional BargeRack feeder barge system enabling Jones Act-compliant operations in the U.S. Meanwhile, the BargeRack is removable, allowing the vessel to assume traditional WTIV operations in other markets globally.

Antony DSouza, EVP & Regional Manager Americas at DNV, presents Shannon Gallaway, VP of Technical Services at F&G, with the Approval in Principle for the innovative WTIV design. Pictured from left, Truls Richardsen, Regional Offshore Manager at DNV; Geoff Murphy, VP Business Development at F&G; Roberto Salinas, Project Director at F&G.; Antony DSouza; Shannon Gallaway; Piotr Szalewski, Principal Engineer at DNV; Gregor Madden, Area Manager, North America West at DNV.

The AiP

The Approval in Principle review involved assessing the overall feasibility of a vessel's design, given the level of detail presented in the documents included in the review. For project stakeholders, a successful issuance of an AiP provides confidence that no showstoppers exist with the design that may prevent future classification. "We are very excited to have our WTIV and feeder barge solution receive DNV's AiP," said Roberto Salinas, Project Director of F&G. "This accomplishment is an important milestone for F&G in realizing our technology for affordable U.S. offshore wind projects while remaining competitive with the same vessel internationally. We are proud to provide solutions with flexibility and, in doing so, give the owners and operators we partner with the opportunity to maximize their investment potential."

With more than 30 years of experience supporting offshore wind development and involvement in 97% of all offshore wind projects globally, DNV is no stranger to the 'industry's challenges, and the investment required to succeed. "DNV is honored to partner with F&G in support of their efforts to advance the offshore wind market," said Truls Richardsen, Regional Offshore Manager at DNV and lead for 'DNV's offshore wind initiatives in North America. "We are approaching a new horizon in the offshore wind market, not only here in the U.S. but globally. In markets with as much complexity as offshore wind, we need to think outside the box, take a new approach, and invest more in partnerships and collaboration. F&'G's WTIV feeder barge solution is an example of the innovation needed to propel the rapid development necessary to achieve the industry targets in the timeline given. We look forward to future collaboration and to fuelling offshore wind development together.