GE Renewable Energy is calling on the transport and logistics industry to come with innovative solutions. With the next-generation of 13-MW wind turbines set to enter the market this year, the manufacturer is searching for efficient ways to handle these much bigger components and has set special requirements for heavy-lift vessel transport.
The GE Haliade-X offshore wind turbine will measure 260 metres tall. It will have a head mass of over 800 tonnes and blades of 107 metres long each. That means that in order to create an efficient supply chain, the company will need higher lift capabilities.
‘Where the logistics industry can help us is at our manufacturing facility in Saint Nazaire, where we produce the generators and nacelles for the new offshore wind turbine, and at our LM Windpower, where we produce both the onshore and offshore blades,’ said managing director Ward Gommeren fo GE Renewable Energy at the Project Cargo Summit Online, an event of Project Cargo Journal and Promedia (SWZ’s publishing partner).
‘It is really a need for us to have the best logistics support for both the outbound transport as well as the transport to and from the marshalling hubs,’ Gommeren said. ‘It’s a question from our side, to take a pro-active approach and come with innovative solutions and to build longterm relationships.’
Special requirements for heavy-lift vessels
Gommeren added that GE has dedicated and special requirements for vessel transport now that the components are getting bigger. The manufacturer is looking for heavy-lift capable vessels with certain minimum crane curves and lifting and stowage plans. He also emphasised that the company requires strict safety and risk assessment procedures.
If you want to learn more, you can watch the full presentation of Ward Gommeren below.
The Project Cargo Summit Online 2021 is an event of Project Cargo Journal and its publisher Promedia (also SWZ’s publishing partner). It took place on 10-11 February and featured eighteen speakers from leading companies within the project logistics industry.
