Bleutec has obtained ABS AiP for its BMIS unfold of Jones Act vessels designed to function concurrently or independently in offshore wind developments.
Houston-headquartered Bleutec Industries Offshore Wind Services LLC reviews that it has obtained Approval in Principle (AiP) from ABS for the designs of its Jones Act compliant Binary Marine Installation Solution (BMIS). The AiP award comes after Bleutec’s December 2022 announcement that it had obtained a “significant equity investment” from non-public fairness agency EnCap Investments L.P. and had signed a Memorandum of Understanding that gives for Wärtsilä to function the system integrator for the BMIS resolution.
Bleutec’s BMIS is a spread of vessels designed to function concurrently or independently in offshore wind developments. It includes a Pile Installation Vessel (PIV) and a Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Light (WTIVL), and Service Operations Vessels (SOVs), all particularly tailor-made for the U.S. Jones Act market.
The vessels are designed in a modular configuration to facilitate their building in U.S. shipyards. The Piling Installation Vessel will function a gantry crane able to lifting as much as 4,500 tonnes, a hydraulic hammer, and deck area for the piles. The WTIV Light shall be able to putting in wind generators of as much as 22 MW, whereas the Service Operation Vessels will present the required lodging and crew assist providers for working in depths of as much as 60 meters.
All the Bleutec vessels are designed to be powered by Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines paired with Wärtsilä’s hybrid battery power storage methods and can incorporate the newest advances in dynamic positioning.
“Along with our strategic partners, we hope to transform the offshore wind industry through our BMIS with the mission of becoming the premier provider of Jones Act transportation and installation for this market,” mentioned Robin Bodtmann, Bleutec’s president and CEO. “This is a key milestone for the company and Bleutec will continue to work closely with NETSCo and ABS to achieve class designation for the construction of our innovative system developed for the installation of clean energy in the U.S.”
Jan Flores, vice chairman of Bleutec’s appointed naval architect and marine engineer NETSCo, commented: “This solution uses as its basis an American-made model incorporating simple design techniques from similar vessels already built and operating in the U.S. This is a significant development for offshore wind as it paves the way for the use of safe, efficient, cost-effective Jones Act vessel solutions by this emergent industry.”
“The Bleutec solution integrates a number of known technologies into a systematic approach in the offshore wind supply chain,” mentioned ABS vice chairman Greg Lennon. “ABS is pleased to support their vessel designs and the incorporation of technologies to support the rapidly growing U.S. market with multiple projects advancing in permitting.”
