March 1, 2021
To transport wind turbine components from manufacturing facilities to the installation sites, getting the local and international logistics right is important in the wind industry. Often extremely long, heavy, and/or over-sized items, wind turbine components are moved over far distances with significant requirements being put on the landside logistics chains, the ports, and the maritime element. The transport and logistics efforts are significant during construction process of the wind farms as well as the ensuing operations and maintenance life-cycle phase. Collaboration across the value chain is important to continuously understand, improve, and optimize the transport and logistics related tasks. This is part of what we do at Panticon.
Positioned in the middle between the landside and maritime logistics chains, ports play a major role in the wind energy value chain. Based on the size and weight of the wind turbine components, designing a wind port is not an easy task. The wind turbine components are in need of a storage area and yard space as well as quay sides need to be reinforced. The logistical routines, assets, and IT processes linked to the often extensive transport moves for the wind turbine components are constantly being developed and cross-supply chain collaboration is a necessity when it comes to ensuring that transportation and logistics may continuously develop.
The vessels are also undergoing a tremendous development on a continuous basis. The capabilities of the vessels are constantly in need of upgrade as wind turbine components grow in size and increase in weight as well as dimensions. Lifting capacity, deck size, deck strength, jack-up capabilities, and the need for seafastening are areas that need careful consideration. It is often through collaboration efforts across the value chain that the best and most suitable solutions are developed.
As the wind industry is an integral part of the global green transformation, sustainable operations play an important role in the industry and this includes the propulsion utilized across the different wind logistics chains. The wind industry is deeply engaged in the development of new green fuels suitable for transport and logistics tasks now and in the future. Panticon was a Summit Partner at the recent Energy & Transport Summit IV digital and in this recording, you may get more intimately familiar with the examples discussed above.