DNV has been in the business of supporting maritime activities since 1864. Combine that with 25 years of wind energy experience and more than 40 years working with the offshore oil and gas industry and you have a set of unparalleled capabilities. As a result, DNV has played a role in the majority of offshore wind energy projects that are currently operating, as well as supporting governments and regulatory agencies in their planning processes for the offshore wind industry.
With our strong maritime heritage and our equally strong commitment to a cleaner energy future, DNV is well positioned to help a wide range of clients through our offshore wind and marine advisory services. Some of these services are extensions of our onshore work, for example:
- Feasibility studies
- Offshore resource assessment
- Met tower instrumentation
- Remote sensing (lidar and sodar)
- Due diligence
- Energy and wake loss modeling
- Health, safety, and environmental risk management
- Turbine type certification
- Technology qualification.
Other services are more specific to offshore activities in order to support clients during planning, installation, operation, and maintenance of their offshore wind projects.
Certified verification agent
In the U.S., federal and state requirements call for Certified Verification Agents (CVAs) to review and verify different phases of offshore wind projects installed on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). DNV is well positioned to serve that role based on our long history of working as CVA on oil and gas projects in the U.S. and our position as the leading provider of project certification services for offshore wind projects in Europe (a different process, but requiring similar experience and competence).
Marine logistics and operations
DNV has a long-established dedicated unit for marine operations, staffed with master mariners, naval architects, and marine and structural engineers. The team works closely to ensure integration between theoretical analysis and real life practice. The unit offers in-depth services related to the independent marine advisory, verification, and approval of marine operations.
DNV provides advice to help clients understand the risks and to support critical project decisions involving marine activities such as:
- Sea transportation
- Load transfer operations
- Offshore installation
- Lifting
- Towing
- Subsea operations and subsea cables
- Transit and positioning of mobile offshore units.
Our marine advisory services include:
- Suitability assessments and studies
- Cost-effective marine operations
- Modeling (structural, hydrodynamic, etc.)
- Risk management
- and a wide range of other services.
Marine warranty surveys
DNV offers warranty surveys and marine verification of all structures, objects, vessels and equipment, systems, and procedures involved in marine operations. DNV issues a Marine Operations Declaration upon acceptance of design calculations, equipment, procedures, and preparations in accordance with DNV Rules for Planning and Execution of Marine Operations. The DNV Marine Operations Declaration satisfies requirements for insurance underwriters as well as national and international regulatory agencies.
Purpose-built vessels for the wind industry
DNV has been engaged in providing services to many of the early purpose-built vessels used by the offshore wind energy industry. Our team of maritime experts conducts feasibility studies, conceptual designs, value chain analyses, due diligence investigations, vessel availability and constraints assessments, and other activities for the maritime and energy industries.
DNV has also issued the first class notation for offshore wind installation vessels. The development of rules for wind turbine installation units focuses on four main areas:
- General design and construction requirements for wind turbine, wave power, and tidal power installation units
- Design requirements for different types of wind turbine installation units which include ship-shaped units, self-elevating units, and column-stabilised units
- Structural details relating to the lifting operations
- Certification of materials and components.
Ship navigational risk
As wind farms increase in size and move farther away from the coast, the impact on the ship traffic increases. DNV evaluates the navigational risk in order to identify the possibility for loss of assets (turbines) or in worst case, the whole wind farm if a large ship collides with the substation. Authorities often include ship collision risk assessments as part of the environmental work required for permitting approvals.
In the past, the evaluation was based on information from the harbours, but today AIS data that show the true sailing pattern, traffic intensity, and actual ships on the different routes are often available. It is thus possible to evaluate the risk with a higher confidence.
Offshore structures
In addition to our certification of offshore wind structures, foundations, and meteorological masts, DNV works on conceptual designs, structural analyses, load simulations, and other activities related to offshore structures.
We also have experience with offshore transformer and accommodation platforms including the development of access strategies, identification of health, safety, and environmental risks, and the preparation of emergency response plans.