Dutch-Aussie Team Targets Safer Blade Lifting

Dutch maritime contractors Van Oord and heavy lifting and transport specialist Mammoet are cooperating with Australian start-up Verton to design a new lifting method for installing wind turbine blades.

The technology specialist was scouted after being selected to participate in the maritime innovation platform PortXL in Rotterdam.

The cooperation is seeking to develop a way to shorten the installation cycle times and make installation safer for operators. Verton has developed a remote rotating device that uses gyroscopic modules to rotate a suspended load. A new concept has been developed in which this unit is integrated into a lifting yoke for installing wind turbine blades.

"The system allows operators to rotate and install heavy loads without using tag lines. Not only is this safer for operators, but it also shortens the installation cycle times," said Wouter de Wildt, mentor from Van Oord.

Both Van Oord and Mammoet have committed to engage in the first of three phases of the development. The first phase is the kick-off phase, to have the technical assessment and requirements made up. Turbine supplier Vestas will be knowledge partner in this development. Vestas will provide the project partners with the technical information and expertise required for the development of the new product.

"We are pleased to collaborate with other organisations in the same field, so we can jointly develop new tools and equipment to help the world of renewable energy to work safer and more efficiently," said Jacques Stoof, Director Market Development and Innovations Mammoet.

PortXL is the world’s first maritime and port accelerator platform. This was Van Oord’s fourth year of participation in the initiative, both as a founding partner and mentor. Mammoet entered as a partner and mentor in 2018.