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Displaying items by tag: Siemens

#FERRY NEWS - With the acquisition of Fastnet Line's Julia to C-BED as previously reported, the Dutch owned company's fleet rises to three floating hotels which are used to accommodate workers in offshore wind-farm energy installations, writes Jehan Ashmore.

All three vessels are former ferries and one of which the Wind Ambition was in recent years based in in the north Irish Sea. The third vessel is Wind Solution, for photos and technicl details of these vessels click HERE. While the former Cork-Swansea ferry has been renamed Wind Perfection (1981/22,161grt) , she remains berthed in Cork city docks having laid-up there since the route's closure last November.

The vessel is however due to undergo an extensive refit in The Netherlands before she takes up a charter in the North Sea with Siemens in October, as a floating hotel for wind-turbine industry employees.

By using the vessel Siemens are to save valuable time and money which would otherwise by the daily transfer of construction workers to and from the mainland. For a video computer simulation showing the different logistics involved between an offshore floating hotel and a conventional hotel onshore, click HERE.

Wind Perfection was originally built as Olau Britannia and shared sailings with sistership Olau Hollandia for a UK-Dutch route between Sheerness-Vlissingen operated by Olau Line.

The sisters were replaced by newer vessels on the North Sea route in the late 1980's and sold to various owners during the years. Before Julia made her Celtic Sea debut, she last ran under the same name for Stella Line on the St. Petersberg-Helsinki route.

Incidentally her sister Norlandia (1981/21,473grt) operates also from the Finnish capital to Tallinn for Eckero Line. Likewise she too is due to undergo changes as she is to be replaced later this year as a second-hand ferry from Mediterranean owners was sold to the Baltic Sea operator.

Published in Ferry

Siemens, a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering, has awarded Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries Limited the design and build contract for two offshore substation platforms for the Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm off the coast of North Wales. The substations will be completed by June 2012. 

Robert J Cooper, Chief Executive Officer at H&W says he is very happy that the Belfast firm has secured the project.

"We are already a recognised renewables logistics base and prototype builder and are delighted to have been awarded this contract. It clearly demonstrates our continuing development as part of the UK supply chain for marine renewable energy. Our project goals are to make the design and build process frictionless for Siemens and to ultimately provide the operator, RWE Innogy, with a robust and durable offshore platform, built safely,
on time and to budget.'

"A considerable number of these platforms are required to meet the Government's 2020 targets, giving substantial opportunities in the near future," says Mr Cooper.

The Gwynt y Môr offshore wind farm is a 576MW, 160 turbine UK Round 2 wind farm being developed by a consortium of RWE Innogy, SWM – Municipal Utility Munich, Germany and Siemens 13km off the coast of North Wales. Siemens will supply the wind turbines which will be connected via 33kV array cables to two new offshore substations.

Onboard the H&W built platforms Siemens' equipment will transform the power from 33kV up to 132kV for transmission back to a new onshore substation at St Asaph also to be built by Siemens.

John Willcock, director of Major Projects for Siemens Transmission and Distribution Ltd. Says: "Siemens is delighted to make this award to Harland and Wolff. This is a key project for Siemens, as one of the largest of its type ever developed. The H&W team impressed us by their approach to the project and understanding of our requirement.

This is a new relationship for both companies and one that could be fruitful in the future. It is great also to be able to support a UK-based firm."

Trevor McCormick, H&W Project Manager will have responsibility for the project in Belfast. He says: "This is a substantial project that will be the focus of our attention over the next two years. The project was secured due to a number of factors including the commitment demonstrated by all areas of the company during the tendering phase; we fully intend carrying this enthusiasm and dedication through to completion."

H&W, having decades of experience in offshore and marine projects for the oil, gas and shipbuilding industries, has designed the platform using stiffened panels typical of shipbuilding and offshore structures. This approach offers cost and weight savings, increased watertight integrity, structural flexibility and opens opportunities for floating, self-installing projects in the future.

Published in Power From the Sea

Dublin Bay Sailing Club Turkey Shoot Winter Series

Dublin Bay Sailing Club's Turkey Shoot Series reached its 20th year in 2020.

The popular yacht series racing provides winter-racing for all the sailing clubs on the southside of Dublin Bay in the run-up to Christmas.

It regularly attracts a fleet of up to 70 boats of different shapes and sizes from all four yachts clubs at Dun Laoghaire: The National Yacht Club, The Royal St. George Yacht Club, The Royal Irish Yacht Club and the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club as well as other clubs such as Sailing in Dublin. Typically the event is hosted by each club in rotation.

The series has a short, sharp format for racing that starts at approximately 10 am and concludes around noon. The event was the brainchild of former DBSC Commodore Fintan Cairns to give the club year-round racing on the Bay thanks to the arrival of the marina at Dun Laoghaire in 2001. Cairns, an IRC racer himself, continues to run the series each winter.

Typically, racing features separate starts for different cruiser-racers but in fact, any type of boat is allowed to participate, even those yachts that do not normally race are encouraged to do so.

Turkey Shoot results are calculated under a modified ECHO handicap system and there can be a fun aspect to some of the scoring in keeping with the Christmas spirit of the occasion.

As a result, the Turkey Shoot often receives entries from boats as large as Beneteau 50 footers and one designs as small as 20-foot flying Fifteens, all competing over the same course.

It also has legendary weekly prizegivings in the host waterfront yacht clubs immediately after racing. There are fun prizes and overall prizes based on series results.

Regular updates and DBSC Turkey Shoot Results are published on Afloat each week as the series progresses.

FAQs

Cruisers, cruising boats, one-designs and boats that do not normally race are very welcome. Boats range in size from ocean-going cruisers at 60 and 60 feet right down to small one-design keelboats such as 20-foot Flying Fifteens. A listing of boats for different starts is announced on Channel 74 before racing each week.

Each winter from the first Sunday in November until the last week before Christmas.

Usually no more than two hours. The racecourse time limit is 12.30 hours.

Between six and eight with one or two discards applied.

Racing is organised by Dublin Bay Sailing Club and the Series is rotated across different waterfront yacht clubs for the popular after race party and prizegiving. The waterfront clubs are National Yacht Club (NYC), Royal Irish Yacht Club (RIYC), Royal St George Yacht Club (RSGYC) and Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC).

© Afloat 2020