The NG-20000X is a self-propelled jack-up incorporating a high variable load and large water-depth capability. It is equipped with an integrated telescopic leg crane enabling it to install heavy foundations and, when the boom is extended, reaching adequate lifting height and capacity to install future generation wind turbine components.
The wind turbines currently undergoing design and testing will require a new generation of installation jack-ups to deal with increasing weight and height of components and ever heavier foundations. A different strategy is required for future turbines with capacities beyond 10 MW.
“Key to the new approach is to stop the spiralling trend of growing crane weights due to the increasing requirements related to the heavy foundations and high installation heights, and to stay close to the proven design technology at the same time” said Jan-Mark Meeuwisse, Commercial Director GustoMSC. “By scaling up the jack-up design and jacking system and solving the challenging crane requirements in an innovative manner, the NG-20000X represents the next generation wind turbine installation jack-up in all its facets”.
The NG-20000X utilises the proven VSD jacking system and a large unobstructed deck area and has a huge variable load capacity of 16,500 tons. It enables contractors to make round trips carrying 6 complete sets of wind turbine components with a turbine weight of 1,000 tons, or carrying 7 pieces of 900 ton jacket foundations, optimising the cost per installed turbine or foundation. Additionally, it improves the overall performance of the unit by further balancing out the jack-up design with an optimised leg design.
A key feature is the innovative combination of high hoisting height for wind turbine installation and heavy load capability for foundation installation. GustoMSC developed the telescopic leg crane to combine these two extreme requirements. A telescopic boom featuring a very high hook height when extended (1,250 metric tons at 160 meters) and offering an increased hoisting capacity when retracted (2,500 metric tons at 120 meters), makes it possible to break the cycle of extremely long protruding booms and increasing crane weights, resulting in a more economic crane design and increased variable load available for operations. The telescopic leg crane has been designed on the basis of its successful predecessors: the GustoMSC leg encircling crane designs.
Image: GustoMSC NG-20000X
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