First use of Dyneema® fiber in off-shore windmill lifting

First use of Dyneema^®fiber in off-shore windmill lifting

Keywords: Lifting equipment, Hoists

For the installation of offshore wind farms in the Irish Sea, Mammoet Van Oord, an international marine contractor, selected heavy lifting slings made with super-strong Dyneema^® polyethylene fiber from DSM Dyneema. The special round slings, manufactured by the Unitex Group, are designed to lift heavy loads weighing up to several hundreds of tons.

Mammoet Van Oord is using the Unitex lifting slings with its new jack-up installation barge, the “Jumping Jack,” to place 240ton monopiles as part of the foundations required for the installation of wind turbines in the Burbo offshore wind farm project located off the coast of Liverpool, UK (Plate 1).

 Plate 1The “Jumping Jack” of Mammoet Van Oord

“This new type of lightweight lifting sling performs similarly to steel wire and allows for precise lifting jobs,” said Jan Kranenburg of Mammoet Van Oord. “At the same time, these slings increase the safety of workers on board our vessel. We are happy that DSM Dyneema and Unitex have teamed up to offer this improved type of sling to the market.”

Jorn Boesten, market segment manager Lifting for DSM Dyneema adds: “The use of Dyneema^® fiber provides many important advantages to the new lifting slings. This lightweight fiber enables the manufacturing of slings that are lower in weight by a factor of eight compared to similar steel wire-based equipment. Lighter weight makes handling the slings easier,especially in rough seas, and helps prevent back injuries that are caused most frequently by maneuvering the heavier steel-wire slings. Further, wire carries a high risk of worker injury because loose threads can act like fishhooks and inflict serious cuts to the hand or arms – a situation that is avoided with slings made from smooth Dyneema^® fiber. In addition these slings provide reliable, long life for cost-efficient use.”

Similarly, while abrasive steel wire can scratch coatings that provide important corrosion resistance to the monopiles, slings made from Dyneema^®help prevent damage to these valuable components. Finally, the new slings deliver lifting performance that is equivalent to that of steel-wire equipment. Unlike synthetics such as nylon or polyester, Dyneema^® fiber exhibits minimal stretch. This leads to improved load handling which is a major benefit to crane operators.

The Unitex slings with Dyneema^® are particularly effective in lifting heavy objects under challenging conditions or when great precision is required. In addition to wind farms, such scenarios include bridge construction,installing offshore equipment such as at gas and oil terminals, moving large prefabricated parts for buildings under construction, and supporting logistical centers such as railway depots and ports.