BMT Nigel Gee Ltd, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, the leading international maritime design, engineering and risk management consultancy, has enjoyed double success at the 2011 Seawork International Innovations Showcase. The Turbine Access System (TAS), developed in conjunction with marine engineers Houlder, has won both the Marine Renewables Category and overall Spirit of Innovation award. The lightweight motion compensated gangway provides safe and reliable access from workboats onto turbine structures.
The TAS enhances safety as well as increasing wave height capability, by utilising a damped roller system which allows the vessel a degree of vertical movement at the foundation and executes crew transfer via a lightweight, motion compensated gangway. In contrast to other motion compensated systems currently on the market, the TAS does not require dynamic positioning (DP) and neither the TAS nor the vessel is connected to the turbine.
Ed Dudson, Technical Director of BMT Nigel Gee, says: “I’m delighted that our joint development with Houlder Ltd and its innovative qualities have been formally recognised at a prestigious show like Seawork. Safety is a number one priority for windfarm operators and the TAS allows for the transfer to take place with increased safety even in rougher seas, which enables access in extended weather windows. This double award success reinforces our commitment to providing bespoke designs to the offshore wind market which includes a wide range of turbine support vessels.”
The TAS will prominently feature on the BMT stand at RenewableUK Offshore Wind exhibition in Liverpool which starts on the 29th June with Houlder expecting to have a demonstrator model available this autumn.