Section 1 General

1.1.1 The requirements of this Chapter apply to units or vessels engaged in installation and/or maintenance activities relating to offshore wind turbines and cover the unit types indicated in Pt 3, Ch 16, 1.2 General definitions.

1.1.2 The requirements of this Chapter also apply to liftboats whose primary function is to provide support services to offshore wind turbine installations or other types of offshore installation, see Pt 3, Ch 16, 1.2 General definitions.

1.1.3 The requirements in this Chapter are supplementary to those given in the relevant Parts of the Rules. Wind turbine installation vessels are additionally to comply with the applicable requirements of Pt 3, Ch 18 Crane Units.

1.1.4 Surface type units and surface type self-elevating units are to comply with LR’s Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships, July 2022, but aspects which relate to the specialised offshore function of the unit will also be considered on the basis of these Rules.

1.1.5 Requirements additional to these Rules may be imposed by the National Authority with whom the unit is registered and/or by the Administration within whose territorial jurisdiction the unit is operating.

1.2.1 A column-stabilised unit is a unit with a working platform supported on widely spaced buoyant columns. The columns are normally attached to buoyant lower hulls or pontoons. These units are normally floating types but can be designed to rest on the sea bed.

1.2.2 A liftboat is a unit with a buoyant hull (generally either triangular or pontoon shaped) with moveable legs capable of raising the hull above the surface of the sea and designed to operate as a sea bed-stabilised unit in an elevated mode. The legs may be designed to penetrate the sea bed, or be attached to a mat or individual footings which rest on the sea bed. In general, installation and maintenance activities would be undertaken in the jacked-up condition. These unit types are generally self-propelled.

1.2.3 A self-elevating (or jack-up) unit is a floating unit which is designed to operate as a sea bed-stabilised unit in an elevated mode. These units have a buoyant hull (generally either triangular or pontoon shaped) with movable legs capable of raising its hull above the surface of the sea. The legs may be designed to penetrate the sea bed, or be attached to a mat or individual footings which rest on the sea bed. These unit types are generally not fitted with a propulsion system.

1.2.4 A surface type floating unit is a unit with a ship or barge type displacement hull of single or multiple hull construction intended for operation in the floating condition.

1.2.5 A surface type self-elevating (or jack-up) unit is a floating unit, which is designed to operate as a sea bed-stabilised unit in an elevated mode. These units have a ship type displacement hull of single or multiple hull construction fitted with moveable legs capable of raising the hull above the surface of the sea. The legs may be designed to penetrate the sea bed, or be attached to a mat or individual footings which rest on the sea bed. In general, installation and maintenance activities would be undertaken in the jacked-up condition. These unit types are generally self-propelled.

1.2.6  Summary information for Liftboats engaged in support services to offshore wind turbine installation or other types of offshore installation can be found in LR's Guidance Note Mobile Offshore Units – Liftboats.

1.3.1  Summary information for unit types engaged in installation and/or maintenance activities relating to offshore wind turbines can be found in LR's Guidance Note Mobile Offshore Units – Wind Turbine Installation Vessels.

1.3.2 National Administration requirements.

1.3.4 For the unit types identified in 1.2.1, 1.2.3, 1.2.4 and 1.2.5, Appendices A2, A3, A4 and A5 of the Guidance Note referred to in 1.3.1 include summary Tables indicating the relevant Parts and Chapters of these Rules and the Rules for Ships, which are to be applied to the individual unit types.

1.3.5 For the unit type identified in 1.2.2, the Guidance Note referred to in 1.3.2 includes summary Tables indicating the relevant Parts and Chapters of these Rules and the Rules for Ships, which are to be applied to the individual unit types.

1.4.1 The Regulations for classification and the assignment of class notations are given in List of abbreviations, to which reference should be made.

1.4.4 Units engaged in more than one function may be assigned a combination of class type notations at the discretion of the Classification Committee.

1.4.5 Lifting appliances are to comply with LR’s Code for Lifting Appliances in a Marine Environment (LAME), see also Pt 3, Ch 11 Lifting Appliances and Support Arrangements.

1.4.6 Where the lifting appliances form an essential feature of a classed unit, the special feature class notation LA or will be assigned, see Pt 3, Ch 11 Lifting Appliances and Support Arrangements.

1.4.7 Other special features class notations associated with lifting appliances may be assigned, see Pt 3, Ch 11 Lifting Appliances and Support Arrangements.

1.4.8 Where the lifting appliance is not assigned a special feature class notation, the crane is to be certified by a recognised competent body, see Ch 1, 1.2 Certification.

1.6.1 Living quarters, lifeboats and other evacuation equipment are to be located in non-hazardous areas.

1.6.2 The requirements for fire safety are to be in accordance with the requirements of a National Administration, see Pt 1, Ch 2, 1 Conditions for classification and Pt 7, Ch 3 Fire Safety.

1.6.3 Additional requirements for hazardous areas, safety and communication systems are given in Pt 7 Safety Systems, Hazardous Areas and Fire and are to be applied to the relevant unit type. For surface type self-elevating units, the requirements for surface type units are to be complied with as applicable.

1.7.1 For all unit types, the requirements for periodical surveys are defined in Pt 1, Ch 2, 3 Surveys — GeneralandPt 3, Ch 3 Production and Storage Units.

1.7.2 In general, where a classed or certified lifting appliance is fitted to a classed unit, the survey requirements of the lifting appliance are to be in accordance with CLAME

1.8.1 Plans, calculations and data are to be submitted as required by the relevant Parts of the Rules, together with the additional plans and information listed in this Chapter.

1.8.2 For units or vessels engaged in installation and/or maintenance activities relating to offshore wind turbines, see also Ch 2,8 of LR's Guidance Note Mobile Offshore Units – Wind Turbine Installation Vessels, for additional information on the plans and data to be submitted.

1.8.3 For liftboats engaged in support services to offshore wind turbine installation, see also LR's Guidance Note Mobile Offshore Units – Liftboats, for additional information on the plans and data to be submitted.