Hiroshima Kure - "World's Largest" Offshore Wind Power Generation Workboat Disclosed

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

“世界最大規模” 洋上風力発電の作業船を公開 広島 呉

2021年11月23日 16時52分

海上に風力発電施設を設置するために建造が進められている世界最大規模の作業船が23日、広島県呉市で報道各社に公開されました。

この船は土台を海底に固定する風力発電施設を設置するための作業船で、建設大手「清水建設」からの受注で広島県呉市にある造船所が建造を進めています。

作業船の全長は142メートル、幅は50メートルで、会社によりますと洋上風力発電の作業船としては世界最大規模だということです。

エンジンを積んでみずから航行できるのが特徴で今後、大型の風力発電の設置にも対応できるように2500トンの重さまでつり上げることができるクレーンが搭載される予定です。

建造費用はおよそ500億円で来年10月の完成を予定しています。

洋上風力発電をめぐっては現在、国内ではほとんど実用化されていませんが、政府は将来の主力電源の1つとして位置づけて2040年までに発電能力を3000万から4500万キロワット、大型の火力発電所に換算して30基分以上に拡大する計画を決めています。

清水建設のエンジニアリング事業本部の白枝哲次事業部長は「日本の洋上風力発電はまだ始まったばかりで、本格的な洋上風力発電所の建設を成功させて国内市場の拡大と定着に貢献したい」と話しています。

Translation

The world's largest workboat, which was under construction to install a wind power generation facility on the sea, was opened to the press in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture on the 23rd.

This ship was a work ship for installing a wind power generation facility that fixed the base to the seabed, and is being built by a shipyard in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, in response to an order from the construction giant "Shimizu Corporation".

The total length of the work boat is 142 meters and the width is 50 meters, and according to the company, it was the largest offshore wind power generation work boat in the world.

The feature was that it could navigate by itself with the engine loaded, and in the future, a crane that might lift up to 2500 tons would be installed so that it could be used for the installation of large wind power generation.

The construction cost was about 50 billion yen and it was scheduled to be completed in October next year.

Currently, offshore wind power generation had hardly been put into practical use in Japan, but the government had positioned it as one of the main power sources of the future, and it was decided that by 2040 to expand the power generation capacity from 30 million to 45 million kilowatts, and converting into large-scale thermal power plants, it would be over 30 units.

Tetsuji Shiraeda (白枝哲次) the general manager of the engineering business headquarters of Shimizu Corporation said, "Japan's offshore wind power generation has just begun, and we would like to succeed in the construction of a full-scale offshore wind power plant and contribute to the expansion and establishment of the domestic market."

              So, the world's largest workboat, which is under construction in Japan to be used for installing wind power generation facilities on the sea, will become operational next year.