Fred Olsen Windcarrier has secured a contract from Siemens Gamesa to transport and install wind turbines at the Yunlin offshore wind farm in Taiwanese waters.
Image: Fred Oslen Windcarrier use one of its purpose-built jack-up installation vessels in Europe for the project. Photo: Courtesy of Fred. Olsen Windcarrier.
For the contract, Fred Olsen will use one of its purpose-built jack-up installation vessels in Europe. The vehicle will start heading to Asia during the spring of 2020 to work on the project. The vessel be used to install Siemens Gamesa’s 8MW turbines.
Fred Olsen Windcarrier commercial manager Martin Degen said: “This is a very exciting project as it is the first large transport and installation project in Asia for us. We are glad to have been picked by SGRE as a reliable partner for this new market.
“The contract will continue to strengthen our relationship with SGRE. We are looking forward to bringing our European experience and capabilities to the project, working with the local supply chain in Taiwan.”
To complete its scope of work at the offshore wind farm, the company aims to engage several local stakeholders including ship agencies, installation port authorities, steel fabricators, engineering consultancies and R&D and education centres among others.
SGRE offshore marine operations head Russell Brice said: “Taiwan is a strong developing market for SGRE, as such it is essential that we operate with partners who we are sure to bring the right team and the right assets for the job.
“We are confident that Fred. Olsen Windcarrier will prove themselves with us again. We are looking forward to be working together again, this time for Yunlin.”
The 640MW Yunlin Offshore wind farm is located about 6km off the southwest coast of Taiwan and will be powered by 80 of Siemens Gamesa’s 8.0-167 direct drive turbines. Turbine installation will be split into two phases which will be carried out next year and 2021.
When complete, the offshore wind farm will generate enough clean electricity to power more than 450,000 homes, while reducing 916,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
Last August, the company’s jack-up installation vessel Bold Tern completed installing final turbines at the Borkum Riffgrund 2 Offshore Wind Farm ahead of schedule. The 56 V164-8.0MW turbines will have a total output of 450MW.
Located 57km off the north-west coast of Germany, Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind farm will generate enough electricity to power 460,000 German households with clean energy.