A home-made wind turbine installation vessel, believed to be the most advanced in China, has been delivered in Yantai, east China's Shandong Province, its producer China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Ltd. (CIMC) announced.

The vessel, officially known as "Tiejian Wind Power 2000," is China's fourth-generation self-elevating and self-propelled vessel dedicated to wind turbine installation.

Its delivery marks a significant enhancement in China's capabilities to develop offshore wind farms.

Measuring 136 meters in length and 53 meters in width, the vessel has a designed cruising speed of 8 knots and a spacious deck operational area of approximately 5,000 square meters.

The vessel is equipped with an advanced DP-2 dynamic positioning system, which allows it to maintain a fixed position despite external forces, such as wind, waves and current. The system also offers positioning accuracy at the millimeter level, helping it adeptly meet the challenges of offshore wind installation at depths of up to 80 meters.

In addition, its main crane has a lifting capacity of 2,000 tonnes, with a remarkable hook height of 165 meters, capable of installing offshore wind turbines of 20 MW or larger.

China has intensified its efforts in offshore wind power development in recent years. However, the availability of wind installation vessels has become a bottleneck in both domestic and global offshore wind development. This is particularly the case for the installation of large wind turbines.

Li Zheyin, project manager in charge of the vessel production, said that the "Tiejian Wind Power 2000" is equipped with three side thrusters and three fully rotating stern thrusters. With certification for unrestricted navigation, it can autonomously reach any designated work site worldwide, significantly enhancing operational flexibility and efficiency.

The CIMC is a leading global supplier of logistics and energy equipment, headquartered in Shenzhen, south China.