News

Contract win supports next generation of offshore wind turbines

22nd February 2023

Marex has signed a six-figure deal with Luxembourg marine contractor Jan De Nul Group for safety assessment work on their two latest offshore construction vessels.

Les Alizés - a next-generation floating offshore installation vessel – and offshore jack-up installation vessel Voltaire have both sailed out of their Chinese shipyards in the last two months to join the Jan De Nul fleet.

Marex has been contracted to carry out risk management work on the two vessels, including safety assessments and human factor analyses, both on-site and remotely.

Les Alizés, designed for the transport and installation of offshore wind turbine foundations, is now the largest heavy lift vessel in Jan De Nul’s fleet.

The vessel is capable of installing XXL offshore wind components in floating conditions, with a main crane of 5,000 tonnes, a deck loading capacity of 61,000 tonnes and a deck space of 9,300m². This lets her easily transport several heavier foundations in one trip.

Lower emissions

She is an ultra-low emission vessel with hybrid capability, combining diesel-driven generators with battery and drive technology to optimise engine loading and to recover the potential energy returned from the heavy lift crane.

To further reduce the carbon footprint of installation activities, the ultra-low emission vessel can run on second-generation biodiesel that reduces the fuel carbon footprint by up to 90%.

Voltaire is the world’s tallest jack-up installation vessel, standing as tall as the Eiffel tower, according to Jan De Nul. The vessel has a crane capacity of 3,000 tonnes, four legs of 130 metres, and a lifting capacity of 16,000 tonnes.

She is built to transport, lift and install offshore wind turbines, transition pieces and foundations, enabling her to construct the current and future generation of wind farms at sea. She is also be available to the oil and gas industry for the decommissioning of offshore structures.

Demand

Our managing director Wayne Henderson said: “This contract win is an exciting new chapter for us that builds on our current work in the offshore wind sector.

“These next generation heavy lift vessels are pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved.

“Marex has decades of experience in understanding the inherent risks in working offshore, which will be key in supporting safe and efficient operations in this rapidly evolving industry.”