Independent engineering consultancy Longitude Engineering has been chosen by Thayer Mahan to provide engineering services to support its innovative Big Bubble Curtain solution in the USA – technology to reduce noise pollution caused by wind turbine installation off the coast of the USA.   

US maritime surveillance systems provider Thayer Mahan’s Big Bubble Curtain technology is designed to reduce the effects of sound throughout the installation of offshore wind turbine foundations which are typically drilled into the sea floor. Essentially compressed air is pumped through perforated hoses on the seabed, creating a “bubble” around the monopile installation which suppresses the noise into the sea.

“This is a highly innovative project that we are proud to be part of. This project not only supports offshore wind, but also protects endangered whales and their marine environment. With our purpose to drive sustainability in energy and oceans, this project fully aligns with who we are as a company.”

Rob Kelly, Engineering Manager, Longitude North America

Longitude’s US operation, based in Houston, will provide independent engineering, design and analysis for operations relating to  the dry transportation of marine equipment and assets relating to the project, including reels, supply hose reels, transfer reel base, wire winch, air compressors and piping manifolds.

Specifically, its scope of work covers the engineering of the seafastening and grillage for each transportation operation, including stability reviews and assessments, equipment on deck stowage arrangements, and stamped calculations and drawings prepared for class submittal, acceptance and approval prior to transportation.

“The scope of work plays into Longitude’s core expertise and roots – providing multi-disciplined engineering support and solutions for optimised and safe marine transportation operations. It is also a technically interesting project in terms of design constraints for the seafastening, leading to complex stowage arrangements. We are able to utilise our wider global footprint, track-record in similar projects, and suite of in-house tools and software packages to provide the client with a holistic service offering.”

Adds Rob Kelly

Longitude is part of Oslo-listed global consultancy ABL Group ASA. It has a consultancy presence in the USA, Canada, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Australia, as well as benefitting from ABL Group’s wider global footprint spanning more than 40 countries. It specialises in vessel design conversion and upgrades, marine operations engineering and advanced analysis and simulations.

Longitude is part of Oslo listed global consultancy group ABL Group ASA.