Highlights of the Month: January 2017

Ex-Statkraft Engineer Develops New Foundation Installation Solution

Arild Bolsø, an engineer who worked for Statkraft in Norway and Forewind in the UK, has developed a new technical concept for offshore wind foundation installation. According to Bolsø, the concept would reduce installation time by 30-50%, compared to current methods.

Public Consultation for Borssele V Tender Opens

Public consultation for the tender regulations related to the fifth site at the Borssele Zone in the Netherlands opened and 4 January and closed on 1 February.

SBM Offshore: Floating Wind Technology Is the Future (Interview)

Pilot floating wind farm projects such as the ones recently approved in France provide floating technology developers with a chance to demonstrate that their products can be a part of the future energy mix, Joost Heemskerk, SBM Offshore’s Renewable Energy Product Line Director told Offshore WIND.

MHI Vestas Turbine Brings Offshore Wind into 9MW Realm

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has unveiled its uprated 8MW wind turbine which enables the platform to reach 9MW at specific site conditions.

Germany Launches First Competitive Offshore Wind Tender, 1.55GW Up for Grabs

German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) today issued an invitation to tender as part of the first competitive bidding process for offshore wind under which the bidders with the lowest offered prices will be awarded contracts.

Boskalis’ Revamped Vessel Coming Up in 2018 (VIDEO)

As of 2018, Boskalis will add a new self-propelled DP-2 crane vessel to its fleet, as the company has put Finesse, one of its semi-submersible heavy lift vessels, up for a conversion.

Oil & Gas Workers Knock on 3sun’s Door

3sun Group interviewed more than 250 people for over 100 new jobs at a recruitment event held in Great Yarmouth, with applicants being mostly oil and gas workers from the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft area, according to the company.

Vattenfall Buys 584MW Offshore Wind Project in German North Sea

Swedish utility Vattenfall has bought the 584MW Atlantis I offshore wind project in the German North Sea from PNE Wind AG.

Sif’s Maasvlakte 2 Operational, Innovation Picks Up Galloper Monopiles

On 2 January, the first four monopiles were loaded from Sif’s Maasvlakte 2 site onto GeoSea’s installation vessel Innovation, which has now put the first section of the new deepwater quay in Port of Rotterdam into operation as it is ready to install the second batch of foundations at the Galloper offshore wind farm site in the UK.

DONG Energy Hires Solstad Offshore CSVs

DONG Energy has signed a contract with Solstad Offshore for two construction support vessels (CSVs) to be used on offshore wind projects.