Siemens launches customised vessel for wind turbines

Siemens Wind Power today launched its first customised wind turbine transport vessel in the Danish harbour of Esbjerg.

The 141-metre (462.6 ft) long ship, called Rotra Vente, is designed to cost effectively transport nacelles for Siemens' direct drive offshore wind turbines. It can carry multiple 8-MW nacelles per trip and will connect the company's coming manufacturing facility in Cuxhaven, Germany with installation ports in the North and Baltic Seas. The vessel can also handle transports of wind tower sections and blades. It was rebuilt from an existing hull of a container ship at Holland Shipyard in the Netherlands and is operated for Siemens by Deugro.

A sister ship, a transporter for towers and blades, is expected to be delivered in the spring of 2017. It will transport blades from Siemens' plants in Hull, England or Aalborg, Denmark.

"When our new factories in Hull, England and Cuxhaven, Germany become fully operational, and both Ro-Ro vessels are in service as interconnection of our manufacturing and installation network, we expect savings of 15-20 percent in logistics costs compared to current transport procedures," said Michael Hannibal, chief executive offshore of Siemens Wind Power.

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!