Results

Logistical study for the deployment of autonomous vessels for wind farm port logistics and offshore offshore supply shuttle

Journal: University of Antwerp

Abstract:

Platform supply vessels for offshore wind farm supply transport and logistics are an emerging trend in the renewable energy industry. These vessels provide a sustainable and cost-effective means of transporting supplies and equipment from an onshore location to offshore wind farms compared to the inefficient use of the Service Operation Vessels (SOV) for logistical purposes. Based on this, this study conducts a logistical analysis of small platform supply vessels for port logistics and offshore supply transport. In doing this, input-output logistics and economic models were developed for two main cases: offshore transport and port logistics. These models examined and analyzed the logistical and economic feasibility of remote-controlled autonomous small vessels compared to conventional vessels. Based on the input parameters specified, results indicate that the conventional vessels remain the feasible option for this type of operation from the logistical and economic viewpoint.