Catamaran floating offshore wind turbine transportation and installation vessel

A method of installing a wind turbine on a foundation in a marine environment, comprising the steps of:

• a) transporting the wind turbine from a first location to a second location with a floating installation vessel having two spaced apart hulls with a gap between the hulls, said turbine having a column and a column lower end portion;
• b) positioning the wind turbine in the gap between the hulls in step “a”;
• c) spanning spaced apart bow and stern gantries from one hull to the other hull, the gantries including a bow gantry and a stern gantry;
• d) holding the lower end portion of the wind turbine column with a turbine support mechanism that includes a plate having an open ended recess that is occupied by the turbine column lower end portion;
• e) selectively raising or lowering the plate with hydraulic rams that each connect to the plate and to the bow gantry;
• f) aligning the turbine column lower end portion with the foundation;
• g) forming a connection of the turbine column to the foundation;
• and
• h) wherein in step “d” there are trunnions on the turbine column and recesses on the plate that are configured to connect with the trunnions.

A wind turbine marine installation apparatus for installing a wind turbine on a foundation comprising:

• a) a catamaran vessel having spaced apart hulls, a space between said hulls, vessel bow and stern end portions and a vessel central portion spaced in between said bow and stern end portions;
• b) a first gantry that connects to each hull at said central portion;
• c) a second gantry that connects to each hull next to the stern end portion;
• d) a turbine support mechanism that is removably connectable to the turbine at a turbine base or lower end portion, said mechanism including a table having an open ended recess that is sized and shaped to receive the turbine base or lower end portion;
• e) one or more hydraulic lifting devices that form an interface between the table and the first gantry;
• f) extension and retraction of said hydraulic lifting devices enable selective positioning of said table relative to said foundation;
• g) wherein each gantry forms a structural connection with each hull that maintains spacing of the hulls while enabling movement of each hull relative to the other hull responsive to wave action;
• and
• h) wherein said space includes an open portion in between said hulls and in between said bow end portions and said first gantry that enables movement of the foundation relative to the hulls from said bow toward said first gantry.

A wind turbine marine installation apparatus for installing a wind turbine on a foundation comprising:

• a) a catamaran vessel having spaced apart hulls and a space between said hulls;
• b) a bow gantry that connects to each hull;
• c) a stern gantry that connects to each hull;
• d) a turbine support mechanism that is removably connectable to the turbine at a turbine base or lower end portion, said mechanism including a table having an open ended recess that is sized and shaped to receive the turbine base or lower end portion;
• e) one or more hydraulic lifting devices that form an interface between the table and the bow gantry;
• f) extension and retraction of said hydraulic lifting devices enable selective positioning of said table relative to said foundation;
• g) wherein the table has three closed sides and one open side at said open ended recess;
• and
• h) wherein each hydraulic lifting device attaches to a table closed side.

A wind turbine marine installation apparatus for installing a wind turbine having a column and a base on a foundation comprising:

• a) a catamaran vessel having spaced apart hulls and a space between said hulls, said vessel having bow and stern portions;
• b) a first gantry that connects to each hull;
• c) a second gantry that connects to each hull next to said stern portion;
• d) a turbine support mechanism that is removably connectable to the turbine lower end portion, said mechanism including a frame having an open ended recess that is sized and shaped to receive the turbine base or lower end portion;
• e) one or more hydraulic lifting devices that form an interface between the frame and the bow gantry;
• f) extension and retraction of said hydraulic lifting devices enable selective positioning of said frame relative to said foundation;
• g) wherein each gantry forms a structural connection with each hull that maintains spacing of the hulls while enabling movement of each hull relative to the other hull responsive to wave action;
• and
• h) wherein said space includes a forward open bow end portion enabling relative movement of the foundation and hulls and alignment of the turbine end portion with the foundation via the open bow end portion.