October 4th 2024 – Get-Up-Safe (GUS) heave compensating access systems, supplied by Scottish engineering innovator Pict Offshore to Ørsted’s Hornsea 2 Offshore Wind Farm, have performed more than 10,000 personnel transfers since going into service in 2022.
GUS systems have been installed at each of the 165 foundations at Hornsea 2 to lift and lower personnel between crew transfer vessels (CTV) and the external platform of the wind turbines.
Hornsea 2 was the first ever wind farm to completely remove boat landings and access ladders from the foundation design, as the GUS system removes the need for technicians to step between the bow of the vessel and a ladder and eliminates a long climb between the platform and CTV.
Instead, the GUS system uses sensors to track the motion of the vessel deck and automatically adjusts the line position to ensure that technicians are always kept safe, even if the vessel deck moves suddenly during transfers due to rising seas.
The project is the result of a six-year collaboration between Ørsted and Pict Offshore. Orsted now owns a minority stake in Pict Offshore and has gone on to deploy the GUS system on its first three commercial scale wind farms in the United States -Southfork, Revolution and Sunrise.
Duncan Clark, Ørsted’s Managing Director Offshore for UK and Ireland said: “Worker safety is our highest priority at offshore wind projects around the world. The deployment of the GUS systems enhances the safety and flexibility of operations, particularly in challenging far offshore environments, and is a pioneering example of how we successfully deploy new technology to help improve the wellbeing of our technicians and project teams. It’s very pleasing to see how the system has matured at Hornsea 2 and become an integral and accepted part of day-to-day operations.”
Pict Offshore Managing Director, Phil Taylor, said: “We are very proud of the way we have adapted to the challenges of implementing an entirely new type of personnel access at the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Although we’re delighted to have passed the 10,000 safe transfer milestone at Hornsea 2, we are continuing to refine the design. These learnings are being carried through into the next generation GUS system currently under development which we expect to release next year.”
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See the GUS system in action at Hornsea 2 at https://vimeo.com/1010625504/09c3a85cd9
