China's new offshore wind power installation ship starts trial voyage

China on Wednesday launched a trial of its self-developed wind power installation vessel, "Boqiang 3060," in the coastal city of Yantai in east China's Shandong Province.

The vessel, the first of the 3060 series, was designed and built by CIMC Raffles for the company Boqiang Heavy Industry. The "Boqiang 3060" stands out for its ability to operate in waters with a depth of up to 70 meters, ranking first in terms of deck variable load and lifting capacity of the crane in China.

The trial signifies a leap in offshore wind turbine installation, and the landmark initiative underscores China's commitment to ramping up its wind power infrastructure and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

As the latest generation of offshore wind turbine installation vessel in China, "Boqiang 3060" is 133 meters long, with a total variable load of 11,000 tonnes. It can serve in the transportation and installation of three sets of 16 MW offshore wind turbines and is the only new-generation wind power installation ship capable of transporting the whole tower barrel in China.

Chan Chanyong, "Boqiang 3060" project manager of CIMC Raffles, told China Media Group (CMG), "Its maximum lifting weight is 2,200 tonnes and maximum lifting height is 160 meters above the deck and 200 meters above the water surface, meeting 20 MW offshore turbine installation needs in the future."

There are more than 130 wind power installation vessels worldwide, and over 100 of them were made in China, CMG reported. 

With the deep-sea expansion of offshore wind farms, higher requirements are put forward for wind power installation in terms of large water depth, large fans and high-efficiency operations.

"Boqiang 3060" has greatly improved the installation efficiency and adaptability of wind power installation vessels under harsh sea conditions, ensuring an annual operating window of more than 200 days.