Demand for renewable energy is rising – and so are constructors’ ambitions. Today’s windfarms must be larger and more efficient than ever before, and for that, operators need to scale up installations in the face of fast-looming deadlines.
Securing power for the future
Eight kilometers off the coast of Taiwan, the Yunlin offshore windfarm is a 640-megawatt undertaking, made up of 80 8-megawatt monopiles each weighing up to 2,400 tonnes. But even getting these monopiles to the Yunlin site was a challenge. It’s a journey that started at the Steelwind Nordenham production site in Germany [link to #116], where transport contractor Jumbo Maritime took on the job of shipping the monopiles safely to their final installation point.
Engineers, crew, and dock loaders knew that every step of the journey from factory to installation came with risks both to the project and to crew safety, from damaging cargo to missing narrow tidal windows. Understandably, Jumbo was looking for the ideal equipment to make sure everything ran smoothly and safely, even in rough seas, extreme temperatures, and the lashing of rain and sea spray.
“Large-scale projects mean big equipment; big equipment needs a lot of preparation; and preparation takes a lot of time,” said Peter Mathot, Senior Port Captain at Jumbo Maritime. “However, our contract meant we only had limited time to get the cargo safely onboard with no damage.”
Meeting the challenge head on
Jumbo turned to Dolezych, producer and supplier of products for load security during transport. “Ourpartnership kicked off with a challenging request from Jumbo: to improve its current lashing systems by making them lighter and easier to handle,” explained Walter Eckstein, Sales Director for Load Security Products at Dolezych. “Jumbo also wanted the systems to have greater flexibility in daily operations.”
The solution they came up with was the DoNova® PowerLash chain, made with Dyneema® – a synthetic chain with the strength of steel but 85% lighter (light enough to float on water, in fact). With almost zero stretch, the product was also much softer than steel and offered improved ergonomics for easier handling and more flexible operation.
Dyneema®: Setting a new performance standard
In turn, the characteristics of the DoNova® PowerLash chain can also help reduce operational costs in the use phase. These Dyneema®-based chains are more ergonomic than steel, enabling quicker work; they have a different workload, which results in lighter handling; and they reduce overall emissions and resource consumption, thanks to the lower loads being transported.
“The DoNova® PowerLash chain with Dyneema® answers the growing demands from the wider market,” continued Eckstein. “In creating it, we combined conventional systems with Dyneema® fiber, which has led to a remarkable new solution for the industry!”
Lighter but stronger
Lightweight chains with Dyneema® make lashing speeds twice as fast: the crews securing the monopiles were able to quickly transport and maneuver the lashing systems into the correct position, without damaging the cargo or needing specialist equipment.
Not only is this safer for the crew, but it also increases efficiency by reducing crew numbers and operatingtimes, which can quickly mount up during enormous lashing operations like these.
Full steam ahead with Dyneema®
Having been safely and securely attached to the cargo ships, the monopiles began their treacherous journey to Taiwan – with the manufacturers, crew, and clients all safe in the knowledge that the Dyneema®-based lashing chains would stand up to whatever the weather threw at them.
Heavier and more complex lashing operations, tighter turnarounds, and mounting costs mean the pressure is on to deliver without compromising on site safety or payload protection. By helping operators overcome these challenges while meeting the highest regulatory standards, Dyneema® fiber can ease the burden.
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Interested in learning more about Dyneema® for your project or end-use application? Reach out to our team of experts today.
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