Japan's Shimizu build world's largest self-elevating platform ship
Japanese construction company Shimizu announced on July 24th that it will build the world's largest self-elevating platform (SEP) ship for the purpose of receiving orders for construction of large offshore wind power facilities. The ship, in which approximately 50 billion yen will be invested, will be able to install three 12-megawatt-class wind turbines in five days.
Construction will being in August with completion slated in October 2022. The company aims at the sales of around 150 billion yen in the renewable energy sector with contribution by offshore wind related orders.
“I expect the construction market for offshore wind power plants to exceed 5 trillion yen. The company aims to secure the largest share in the field.” said President Kazuyuki Inoue at the head office in Chuo-ku, Tokyo on the day.
“Sales of the renewable energy sector including solar power generation is about 80 billion yen. With the SEP vessel completed, it will be able to increase orders of around 50 billion yen annually as EPC contracts are expected to expand.”
The vessel is 50 meters in width, 142 meters in length, and 2500 tons of maximum lifting capacity for cranes. It can be lifted up to a height of 158 meters. Work is possible in the water area of 10 to 65 meters deep. The work can be carried out suppressing the influence of waves by landing the four legs on the sea floor and floating the hull from the sea surface.
