Vessel and method for installation of a pile adapted to support an offshore wind turbine

A vessel for installation of a pile adapted to support an offshore wind turbine, said vessel comprising:

• a crane with a hoisting cable and hoisting winch to suspend the pile in a substantially vertical orientation and to lower the pile;
• a pile holding system to hold the pile and limit horizontal motion of a pile portion held by the pile holding system;
• a tugger system including two tugger lines and corresponding tugger winches, said tugger lines being directly or indirectly connectable to the pile at a location between the pile holding system and the hoisting cable;
• and
• a control system for controlling the hoisting winch and the two tugger winches to lower the pile with the pile being held by the pile holding system using the hoisting winch and to damp motion of the pile in two respective horizontal directions using the two tugger winches,
• wherein the two tugger lines include a first tugger line and a second tugger line, and wherein the corresponding tugger winches include a first tugger winch for the first tugger line and a second tugger winch for the second tugger line, and
• wherein the tugger system includes a first tugger sheave to guide the first tugger line between the first tugger winch and the location between the pile holding system and the hoisting cable, and a second sheave to guide the second tugger line between the second tugger winch and the location between the pile holding system and the hoisting cable.