RWE unveils amphibious offshore turbine maintenance vessel

Designed and operated by UK firm Commercial Rib Charter Ltd – which operates Europe’s largest fleet of RIB vessels – the ‘CRC Walrus’ was specifically commissioned to access turbines at RWE’s 60 MW Scroby Sands wind farm off the coast of Norfolk. The project is one of a number of wind farm to be built in coastal locations with relatively shallow waters close to shore. Scroby Sands was built on a prehistoric sandbank and, because of natural changes in the marine environment and coastal erosion, this has risen over time effectively isolating four turbines from being accessed by service vessels.

The vessel, which can also drive on land, provides access to generation assets affected by dynamic seabed conditions. Its innovative design means that the two wheels at the front and one at the back can be deployed, similar to an aircraft, when transferring from deeper water into shallow water and sand.