Van Oord, the Dutch company specializing in dredging and land reclamation, has agreed to acquire MPI Offshore, an offshore wind installation contractor.
Image: With MPI Offshore’s acquisition, Van Oord can enter UK offshore wind market. Photo: Courtesy of Van Oord.
Van Oord will acquire MPI’s organisation in Stokesley, UK, and the vessels and crew of the MPI Adventure and MPI Resolution with associated contracts, as part of the acquisition.
Subject to approval from regulatory authorities, the transaction could be completed by the end of this September. Through this acquisition, Van Oord will strengthen its global wind services, particularly in the UK wind market.
Van Oord CEO Pieter van Oord said: “The acquisition is fully in line with our ambitions and investment programme for the coming years. Offshore wind will play an important role in the energy transition.
“By acquiring the MPI Adventure and MPI Resolution and the addition of qualified personnel, our position in the offshore wind industry will be further strengthened.”
In early June, Van Oord installed the first jacket foundation at the East Anglia ONE project in the North Sea. The contract, which includes transport and installation of the offshore wind turbine foundations, including logistics and deployment of the equipment, was awarded to Van Oord by ScottishPower Renewables.
East Anglia ONE will have 102 three-legged jacket foundations and they will be installed at depths reaching 55 meters in the North Sea.
In the past, Van Oord was involved in the offshore wind projects including the Gemini Offshore Wind Park (NL) and the Walney Extension offshore wind farm (UK).
Apart from East Anglia ONE, Van Oord is presently working on the construction of the Borssele III / IV offshore wind farms in the Netherlands and the Norther offshore wind farm in Belgium and the Walney Extension offshore wind farm in the UK.
In May, the company was awarded an extensive wind project in Taiwan, which marked it entry into the Asian offshore wind market.