One of the challenging stages of the process of installing wind turbines at sea is delivering their components to the appropriate location. The idea that Fairplay Towage Polska is working on can make this task much easier.

Transporting monopiles to the installation site is, contrary to appearances, a complicated logistic procedure that requires appropriate vessels with specific parameters depending on the size and weight of the load itself. The project that Fairplay Towage Polska is working on can make this procedure much easier and make it possible to use tugboats rather than installation vessels with high load capacity and a free deck. The idea is simple – just seal the monopiles with patented rubber plugs. Thanks to this, the monopiles will float on the water and then they can be towed. The plugs will prevent water from getting inside the monopiles, and the fact that they are filled with air will make them buoyant.

– Our plugs are designed to seal the monopile, which naturally stays afloat in the water due to its buoyancy. The progenitor were steel caps, but they have their drawbacks, which when the wind towers grow, create more logistical problems than our rubber plugs, which float on the water after being pulled out, and their return transport to the monopile factory is much easier and cost-effective – says Arkadiusz Ryż, Offshore Wind Project Manager at Fairplay Towage Polska.

Fairplay Towage Polska, a company providing towing services, has already tested its invention on a scale of 1:10. Last year, it also received official patent certification from the Patent Office. As Arkadiusz Ryż says, it's time for full-scale tests. The company is preparing to order full-size plugs. The tests are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

The entire solution on a scale of 1:10 could be seen at the Fairplay Towage Polska stand during the Edu Offshore Wind 2024 trade fair. There, the company presented a 2-ton monopile with a meter diameter closed on both sides with specialized rubber plugs. This was the first opportunity for Fairplay Towage Polska to present the invention.

– There is a lot of interest. After receiving the patent, we were able to show our invention to the world. We are now protected, so we can reach out to our potential customers more broadly – says Arkadiusz Ryż.