Van Oord’s Aeolus to Head for Wind Foundations Logistics Base in Vlissingen
German shipbuilders Lloyd Werft are completing Van Oord’s Aeolus using Mammoet’s largest crawler crane.
By John Gauldie, Port Industry
Van Oord’s new build jack-up installation vessel Aeolus is due to arrive at the port of Vlissingen soon, signalling the start of the offshore construction phase at Eneco Luchterduinen, the third offshore wind farm in the Dutch sector of the North Sea. Verbrugge Terminals expects to begin load-in of the foundations within the next 2 weeks at its facility in Vlissingen, part of Zeeland Seaports in the Netherlands. Here Port Industry’s John Gauldie provides an update.
Wind Foundations Project Logistics
The Dutch offshore wind project plays its home advantage in utilising Zeeland Seaports as the hub for the foundation installation project logistics. The offshore cluster of companies at Zealand Seaports (the North Sea ports of Vlissingen and Terneuzen) have already served more than 20 European wind farms. However, the Eneco Luchterduinen project (website in Dutch) brings a new logistics challenge – the 43 foundations will be uniquely engineered because the monopile and the transition piece, which are usually built as two separate components, will be built as a single component.
Van Oord is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction of the foundations and electrical infrastructure. Last November Sif Group in Roermond started fabrication of the 65m long foundations, each weighing around 475t with a 5m diameter. Sif also subcontracted the flange fabrication, which took place in Spain. Further fabrication is taking place at Smulders in Antwerp, namely for boat landings, external ladders etc. In a few weeks the first foundations and other structures will be sent by barge from Roermond and Hoboken, Antwerp, down the Western Scheldt to the port of Vlissingen on the North Sea.
For the foundations load-in in Vlissingen, Verbrugge together with its heavy lift partner Sarens will utilise a Liebherr LR 1750 crawler crane and SPMTs for lifting and handling operations. Verbrugge and Sarens previously worked together on project logistics for five tripods for the Global Tech 1 wind farm (see a video of the load-out here). Following temporary storage at Verbrugge, the foundations will be loaded out starting in July, using Aeolus’ 900t main crane from the former Sietas subsidiary Neuenfelder Maschinenfabrik (NMF), now part of the TTS Group. In Bremerhaven German shipbuilders Lloyd Werft are currently completing Aeolus for Van Oord. At Vestas’ pre-assembly facility at the port of Esbjerg, Denmark, the 43 turbines will be pre-assembled and pre-commissioned onshore ahead of the turbine installation phase.
Verbrugge and heavy lift partner Sarens previously worked together on project logistics for the Global Tech 1 wind farm
Zeeland Offshore Cluster
In addition to the project logistics, other companies in the Zeeland Seaports offshore cluster are also involved in Eneco Luchterduinen. Vlissingen fabrication company VDS is currently constructing the Offshore High Voltage Station foundation. The foundation consists of three main parts; monopile, lower section of transition piece and top section of transition piece.
Meanwhile, work continues to expand the quay at another company in Vlissingen’s offshore cluster, BOW Terminal. The 2.5 hectare expansion will see a further 175m added to the quayside, bringing the total to 525m. BOW Terminal is currently providing project logistics for E.On’s Humber Gateway.
Zealand Seaports’ offshore cluster also generates a lot of business from oil and gas projects. For example, Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen, welcomed jack-up drill rig Rowan Viking to the yard on Saturday, where it will undergo a conversion project to prepare for a project in Norwegian waters. Also Heerema Fabrication Group is busy with jacket production in Vlissingen, also for Norwegian waters.
Booth number 411H1