Simon Stevin to Rock Borkum Riffgrund 2 Seabed

Jan De Nul’s fall pipe vessel Simon Stevin has arrived at the Visnes Eklogitt quarry in Norway, where it will load the first batch of 32,000 tonnes of rock and transport it to the Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind farm in Germany. There, the vessel will install scour protection layers onto the seabed for the wind turbine foundations.

Image: Jan De Nul

In 2018, the company’s offshore jack-up vessel Vole au vent will start installing the monopile foundations.

The load of 32,000 tonnes is the first of four to be loaded, transported and installed by the Simon Stevin. The last three batches will be provided by the Rekefjord quarry and loaded in Eemshaven, the Netherlands.

In 2016, Jan De Nul signed a contract with DONG Energy for the transport and installation of 36 monopiles, anode cages and transition pieces for the Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind farm. In addition, Jan De Nul was also awarded the supply, transport and installation of scour protection for all foundations to be installed in 2018.

The 450MW Borkum Riffgrund 2 is located approximately 57km off the north-west coast of Germany, next to the 312MW Borkum Riffgrund 1 offshore wind farm. The wind farm will consist of 56 MHI Vestas 8MW turbines.

Full commissioning of the project is expected to take place in 2019.

The jacket foundation for the wind farm’s offshore substation was installed on 19 July.