From Houston to Providence: Ampelmann is committed to offshore wind in the USA

Walk to Work (W2W) solutions have steadily become a familiar feature of the American offshore energy market. For over a decade, Ampelmann’s motion compensated gangway systems have provided safe, efficient and reliable access to offshore installations and assets in the USA. Having first introduced its systems to the emergent US wind in 2023, the company has become increasingly involved in the development of the sector.  

Crucial to the American green effort, offshore wind might have a long road ahead, but is expected to outgrow its infancy within the coming decade. Since January 2024, the first commercially installed turbines at South Fork and Vineyard Wind are already powering up the local energy grids of Massachusetts and New York. With the first already completed and the second about to go online, 2024 promises to become a critical year in the history of American offshore wind.  

Full and local operational support

Since early 2023, Ampelmann’s gangways have been providing safe and efficient access to the turbines at Vineyard and Southfork Wind. One A300 and five E1000s  were operational on the two wind farms, aiding in the construction, cabling and commissioning of the turbines. Both gangways are multipurpose access solutions that can convert into a crane at a moment’s notice to transfer cargo with a total payload of respectively 300 and 1,000 kilogrammes. Able to operate in adverse weather conditions, the systems have already transferred more than 30,000 people and over a million kilogrammes of cargo.  

These recent developments in American offshore wind have resulted in Ampelmann expanding and widening its local presence. Alongside its established offices in Houston, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts, the company recently opened a new office near the port area in Providence, Rhode Island. The coming year will see the trend of localisation continue as the company intends to bolster its connections to clients and operations in the region.  

As Joseph Gabriel, Ampelmann’s Business Developer for offshore wind in the US, says: “We are moving towards fully localised operational support to maximise the efficiency of our local operations. Alongside our local operators, we are in the process of setting up hiring additional maintenance and warehouse coordinators as well as project managers to better service our clients in the regional market. This move will help to keep the communication lines short, improve our response time and provide quicker turnover for maintenance and repairs, greatly increasing the overall workability of our systems and keeping downtime to a bare minimum.”  

With multiple contracts already lined up for the coming years and work to begin on the Revolution wind farm this spring, 2024 promises to become a pivotal year for Ampelmann’s involvement in the American wind sector.

Sustainable innovations

To support the growth of the emergent and established wind market, the company is continuously innovating to ensure a sustainable energy transition. New electric systems have been developed that have the capacity to reduce the carbon footprint of offshore operations even further whilst maintaining the same standards for safety and efficiency as the company’s hydraulic systems.  

One such system is the electric A-type, an electrified version of the company’s flagship gangway.  

Like its hydraulic counterpart, the gangway can compensate for motions in six degrees of freedom and can work in waves up to 3m H_s. Through electric regeneration, the system consumes 90% less energy compared to the hydraulic A-type. Additionally, as the gangway requires no HPUs, it has a smaller footprint, requiring less deck space and reduced waiting time during mobilisation and demobilisation. Ampelmann has set the long-term goal to electrify the entire A-type fleet. Alongside the electric A-type, a fully integrated and lightweight version of this design, the S-type, has been operational for the past year in Brazil.

Already making strides in the European market, the W-type is the company’s latest electric system that is specifically tailored to meet the requirements of the growing SOV/CSOV market. Fully integrated, this height adjustable tower gangway is wide enough for trolley operations and can quickly convert into a crane with a cargo capacity of two tonnes. Eleven W-types have already been sold to clients and shipyards for operations in the North Sea. As the American offshore wind market matures, systems like the W-type will be crucial to improve the cost-effectiveness of maintenance operations.  

Alongside the introduction of new electric systems, Ampelmann is currently developing a drone delivery service. Commercial exploitation permits have already been awarded to the company to operate heavy-duty drones with a cargo capacity of 30kg. These will be able to support offshore operations directly from a vessel, increase tool time and reduce the time spent on cargo transfers. The first offshore trials are expected to begin in early spring.

With the imminent completion of the first commercial wind farms in American waters, offshore wind energy at scale is fast becoming a reality in the USA. As the premier offshore access provider at Southfork and Vineyard Wind, Ampelmann is committed to the US energy transition. Through localisation and continuous innovation, the company is preparing for the take-off of American wind and aims to deepen its involvement in this important new market.