Iberdrola Hosts Wikinger Supply Chain Event in Berlin

Iberdrola was joined yesterday (7th October) by Adwen, Navantia, Offshore WindForce and Prysmian to introduce the €1.4 bn Wikinger offshore wind energy project to German companies and open a forum where local supply chain businesses can investigate collaboration possibilities with Wikinger contractors and partners.

Supported by Christian Pegel, Minister for Energy, Infrastructure and Regional Development for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the local Chamber of Commerce and the Wind Energy Network, the first-of-its-kind supply chain event took place at the Landesvertretung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Berlin, with over 100 stakeholders and local suppliers with offshore wind experience in attendance.

During the sessions the project’s procurement strategy was discussed and the four main supply partners outlined their scope of works, enabling local businesses to understand more about possible collaboration opportunities.

With specific field studies and detail engineering now complete, as well as the certification, procurement and stockpiling of raw materials, IBERDROLA is progressing the manufacture of the project’s infrastructure and key wind turbine components.

The operations centre for the construction of Wikinger will be located at the port of Sassnitz in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Work is currently ongoing in preparing the port to house the operation and maintenance building, as well as the storage area for the various components and equipment needed in the construction stage. Key activities to be carried out at the port include the offloading of turbine parts, foundations, piles, jackets and cables, as well as pre-assembly and subsequent transportation to the site.

As well as promoting the creation of quality jobs in the region, Wikinger aims to provide business opportunities for local subcontractors, ranging from civil and electrical contractors, vessels and ports support, to technicians and logistics, which will have an overall positive impact on the regional economy.

Tanis Rey-Baltar, Iberdrola project director for Wikinger, said: “Wikinger will have a considerable impact in job creation and we want to do all that we can to source as many of these jobs as possible from the local area.

“We were very encouraged by the turnout today in Berlin, and we would like to thank the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as well as the other supporting organizations for their help in putting the event together. It has enabled us to match skills and services with the needs of our contractors, who will now be able to engage directly with local suppliers and explore opportunties going forward.

“Major infrastructure projects like ours require support during planning, construction and operations, so we need the expertise and support of a wide range of companies with a variety of skill sets.”