The increased demand in offshore wind installations combined with larger capacity turbines will provide major challenges to the market. The scale of modern wind turbines will require longer crane booms, which will result in higher forces on the rope and drum – this can lead to potential drum crushing issues. 

The limited availability of installation vessels combined with the significantly increasing number of lifts per crane will make rope longevity critical for operational efficiency.

Offshore oil and gas installations typically involve single, large lifting operations, such as placing a massive drilling platform in a fixed position. In contrast, offshore wind installations require multiple, complex lifting tasks for various components, each with unique handling requirements.

Offshore wind foundations range from fixed-bottom to floating with the most common being monopiles. Wind farms consist of numerous turbines, with each one having many interconnected parts — including foundations, towers, blades, and nacelles that must be lifted individually and precisely assembled at while offshore.