BWS Backs Van Oord’s Foundation Work

Blue Water Shipping (BWS) is transporting 76 wind turbine foundations for Van Oord Offshore Wind Projects for the Gemini Offshore Wind Park.

“Our own naval architect has together with the shipping line come up with a change in construction of the chartered vessel so that it can accommodate the foundations. After ten days’ dry-docking in Sweden, the ship was ready for the first shipment,” said Brian Sørensen, Sales Manager for Blue Water’s Wind Logistics.

Focus has been to minimise the clients’ total costs for the transport. That is why the foundations are being transported on a vessel instead of a barge. This is often a cheaper solution and is also less sensitive to bad weather.

“Our clients have a lot at stake, so it is important that we deliver on time. All the installation vessels to which we deliver foundations must be kept occupied as waiting time is too costly,” said Brian Sørensen.

The vessel will make a total of 38 trips carrying two foundations at a time. Most of the foundations will be transported from the German city of Rostock, but there are also a few shipments from Flushing in Holland.

Van Oord Offshore Wind Projects will be handling the installation of the foundations, the electric infrastructure, cables, transformer stations and is also responsible for installation of the turbines, which will be performed by the installation vessel Aeolus.

Image: Blue Water Shipping