Jacket lifting tool

A jacket lifting tool, also called jacket grab, is used for the lifting and positioning of the jacket foundation during its installation offshore. It may also be used during the foundation load-in on the installation vessel. The tool typically involves hydraulic systems to secure the jacket vertically from inside its connection area with the turbine tower.

Description of Manufacturing Process
Typically made of steal beams or tubular steel sections welded together. Machining, including milling, drilling, boring and grinding is required for smaller components within the yoke and for interface surfaces

Description of Supply Chain
Procured from a wind energy lifting equipment specialist, which either manufactures in-house or subcontracts the fabrication to a manufacturing partner. In both cases, the manufacturer typically does not have the required CNC capability and subcontracts the machining to a CNC expert.

Scottish Opportunity
Relevance to Scottish Supply Chain: Medium

There are several foundation lifting equipment specialists operating in the UK, such as Osbit and Enabl. When local capability exists, they tend to appoint UK manufacturers for the fabrication of the tool, which themselves could be interested in subcontracting machining to a Scotland-based CNC expert. The demand is, however, relatively low as tools can be reused on many wind farms.