Pile Gripper for HLV Innovation – Sponsored News

FUTURE PROOF DESIGN
The monopile gripper, deployed on the SeaMade Offshore Wind Farm for the first time, enables DEME’s HLV, Innovation, to install monopile foundations all year round, safely at record speed. TWD engineers have succeeded in developing a unique pile gripper, which excels in versatility and piling accuracy.

The revolutionary ‘pendulum design’ has the gripper ring suspended in tension rods, resulting in such a logical and optimal load path that the systems’ stiffness could be maximized while keeping the overall gripper weight down. The unique combination of gripper stiffness with the slenderness of the construction, enables DEME to maximize the useful payload on their jack-up.

TWD’S FUNCTIONAL DESIGN METHOD
TWD and DEME Offshore worked closely together to develop this tailored gripper design. TWD used their highly effective functional design method to incorporate all required functionalities into a logical solution. Combining the in-house expertise of structural-, mechanical- and hydraulic design, allows TWD to integrate the input of different disciplines into an optimally functioning pile installation tool.

SEAFASTENING AND UPENDING
Efficient monopile installation campaigns are not only depending on the gripper design. The complete installation method should be smartly engineered, taking into account:

• Optimal use of deck and crane
• Minimized time to release seafastening systems
• Minimized mobilization time
• Maximized versatility of the deck spread to suit multiple projects

In the design of the monopile seafastening and upending tool, as well as in the TP seafastening design, these efficiencies are all accounted for, transforming HLV Innovation into a true monopile installation machine.

We are proud that again a successful cooperation with DEME Offshore has been concluded with the installation of the monopiles on the Seamade Wind Farm and wish the offshore crew all the best with the following projects!

Source TWD