With the first monopile transportation for the Moray West offshore wind farm in the UK, Boskalis’ semi-submersible heavy transport vessel White Marlin successfully completed its first ‘green energy transport’.
With the growth in offshore wind farms, Boskalis’ heavy transport vessels are increasingly being deployed for these renewable energy projects. Such is the case with its heavy transport vessel White Marlin. The vessel has been particularly active with transports for the oil and gas market but is now entering the renewables market.
Last month, the White Marlin, completed her first transportation project for this market. The first eight 80-meter-long monopiles for the future Moray West wind farm from OW Ocean Winds were loaded in Asia and sailed to the port of Invergordon in Scotland.
Later this year, Boskalis’ crane vessel Bokalift 2 will pick up the monopiles in the port of Invergordon and subsequently install them using its new, state-of-the-art installation equipment. In the meantime, Boskalis will carry out the seabed preparation activities by installing a layer of rock that will act as a filter and scour protection for the Moray West XXL monopiles.
Boskalis secured a multidisciplinary contract from Ocean Winds, the 50:50 joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE, related to the development of the 882 MW Moray West offshore wind farm in Scotland, in February this year. Moray West offshore wind farm will comprise sixty Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD 14.7 MW wind turbines and 2 substations on monopile foundations and will have the capacity to power the equivalent of up to 640,000 UK homes. Image © Matt H./ROAVR Group, Herman IJsseling
