VESSEL REVIEW | Zhongnan Yuan 520 – Testing and exploration jackup to support Chinese offshore renewables projects

Chinese shipbuilder CSSC Wuhan Marine Machinery Plant recently completed construction of a self-elevating platform (SEP) optimised for research and testing in support of offshore renewable projects. Zhongnan Yuan 520 (中南院520; “Zhongnan Institute 520”) will be operated by the PowerChina Zhongnan Survey, Design and Research Institute.

The SEP has an LOA of 64 metres (210 feet), a beam of 36 metres (120 feet), a draught of three metres (10 feet), a total deck area of 1,000 square metres (11,000 square feet), accommodation for 60 personnel, and ample facilities that will help ensure 25 consecutive days of offshore operations.

This will enable technicians to thoroughly conduct engineering surveys of offshore wind farms in various sea areas as well as high-precision marine surveys, marine resources surveys, geological exploration, and earth science research activities.

The platform can also be used to transport as well as test marine equipment before these are to be used operationally.

Suitable for a broad range of sea areas and environmental conditions

The four piling legs can be extended to allow normal operation in water depths of up to 75 metres (250 feet). If needed, the legs can be further extended to allow operation at a depth of 85 metres (280 feet), thus allowing the platform to be deployed at a greater number of wind farm sites – both planned sites and those already operational – offshore China.

The SEP boasts a customised digital twin system, an intelligent energy efficiency management system, a digital intelligent survey system, and an intelligent monitoring system. By aggregating meteorological, hydrological, and other monitoring data, the systems can perform real-time dynamic monitoring of the platform’s navigation status, energy efficiency status, and structural status through the integrated application of digital intelligence technologies such as digital twin, numerical inversion, and AI intelligent analysis.

Intelligent operating capability for greater safety

The system can provide scientific decision-making support for predictive maintenance of equipment as well as platform operation. It will also enable the crew to quickly and easily identify events – including certain crew-induced actions – that could put the platform at risk so that these can be avoided or prevented ahead of time.

Zhongnan Yuan 520 is already earmarked for deployment at four Chinese offshore wind farms: the Shanghai Electric Shandong Peninsula North N2 site; the Huadian Dandong Donggang 2GW site; the China Power Construction New Energy Corporation Liaoning Province 2GW site; and the Huaneng Shandong Peninsula North K site.