Technical screening of wind turbine installation vessel compatibility for offshore wind deployment in Brazil

Abstract This study evaluates the availability and technical suitability of wind turbine installation vessels (WTIVs) for offshore wind deployment in Brazil. With more than 80 GW in proposed capacity, Brazil faces an urgent need to assess whether large offshore turbines can be installed under conditions of limited infrastructure, regulatory uncertainty, and constrained vessel availability. Using a threshold-based screening procedure, the study evaluates 77 vessels against three core technical criteria: crane height, lifting capacity, and maximum operational depth. These thresholds reflect the installation demands of 15 MW turbines, the most frequently proposed configuration in Brazil’s environmental licensing pipeline. Results show that only 22% of the evaluated vessels meet all minimum requirements, highlighting the country’s reliance on a limited segment of the global fleet. The analysis is intentionally restricted to first-stage technical feasibility and does not yet incorporate broader contextual variables such as port infrastructure, permitting conditions, or financing constraints. Even so, the framework provides a transparent and replicable basis for aligning turbine-scale ambitions with installation capacity in Brazil. The approach may also support preliminary vessel-feasibility assessments in other emerging offshore wind markets facing similar logistical and infrastructural barriers.