Liebherr Maritime Cranes heavy-duty crane (TCC 78000) loads the first of 72 monopiles for the largest Danish offshore wind farm “Kriegers Flak.
In the port of Rostock, the first monopiles for the offshore wind farm, currently under construction, were loaded. The wind farm, located south of the Danish coast, is expected to supply up to 600,000 households with electricity in the future and will thus become Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm.
The loading of the monopile foundation piles will be handled by Liebherr’s heavy-duty gantry crane type TCC 78000, inaugurated in 2019. The manufacturer of the monopiles is the offshore wind specialist EEW Special Pipe Constructions GmbH, also based in Rostock.
The first monopile foundations were loaded at the Rostock overseas port from the quayside into the water by the TCC 78000 at the beginning of May.
For direct loading into the water, the otherwise hollow piles, which are open at both ends, must be sealed watertight in advance with specially constructed sealing caps, so-called plugs. The sealing condition thus created enables the monopile foundation piles, which are over 65 metres long and weigh up to 800 tonnes, to float. The plug installation is carried out on an area of almost 9000 m² on the Liebherr company premises. The TCC 78000 will be used for direct loading from the quay edge into the water.
“We are pleased to be able to take over the first external loading order of the TCC 78000 for the renowned company EEW Special Pipe Constructions GmbH from the direct neighbourhood in the Rostock overseas port. Thanks to constructive cooperation and a thorough preparation phase, the monopile shipments are proceeding according to plan. The fact that we are now also contributing a part to the largest Danish offshore wind farm makes us a little proud,” comments Gregor Levold, General Manager Shipping and Heavy Lift Handling at Liebherr in Rostock, Germany.
